We're Stuck, You and I
by maja3322
Summary: Seamus Finnigan has once again cast a bad spell. But this time he didn't blow anything up. Instead Hermione and Draco are stuck together. Can they keep from killing each other or can they actually be civil? And what happens when they are once again free?
1. The Accident

**The Accident**

So, usually I'm a pretty rational girl. People have even called me smart and brilliant. But I don't feel like either. Because if I was brilliant or even just had a little bit of logical sense, then how could I possibly fall in love with my all-time enemy, Draco Malfoy? Well, it actually started with one of Seamus' spells. You know, one of those that blow up everything. Only this time it had the opposite effect. It bound two people together, and those two people where Draco Malfoy and myself.

It has now been a week since that day. We were sitting in Charms and waiting for Professor Flitwick to tell us, what the day's class was about. Since neither Harry nor Ron had returned to Hogwarts for our seventh year, I have been forced to be with other people. I don't mind really, but I miss my best friends terribly. Luckily I have Ginny, Luna, Dean and Seamus to mention a few. For this class I was sitting with Seamus and Ginny, Ginny is also in her seventh year now. We were just sitting together and talking quietly when Draco Malfoy walked into the room and chose to sit next to me. Out of all places he sat next to me. Of course he didn't do so because he was my friend. He did it only to annoy me.

"So, are you missing your boyfriends?" he asked me. "I bet they are just shagging each other when you're not around."

I instantly felt heat entering my cheeks, but I managed to keep my voice cool as I said, "What's the matter Malfoy? Are you jealous? You probably want to be with them!"

At that Ginny and Seamus started laughing.

"Good one," Seamus whispered and patted my back.

"Yeah, real good," Malfoy said sarcastically. "Real good for a Mudblood."

I just laughed that one of. The word no longer had any effect on me. I was Muggleborn and damn proud of it. That couldn't hurt me anymore.

"Please Malfoy," I laughed and looked into his stormy eyes. "It's getting really old. Why don't you think of something new? Oh no, that's right. You aren't allowed to do that! Your Mommy and Daddy might just spank you for that."

Malfoy slammed his hands onto the table and started rising while saying, "I'll give you spanking."

He actually scared me a little. It was always hard knowing just how far he was going to go. But this time he was cut short by Professor Flitwick.

"Sit down, Mister Malfoy," he said patiently. "We have a lot of work in front of us, if you don't mind." The Professor's pleasant tone probably only made Malfoy's mood even worse, but he sat down none the less. I felt his daggering look on my face, but tuned it out, ready to learn something new and useful.

"Class," Flitwick said tapping his wand against his desk to bring order "today we are going to work with the spell Defodio. Can anyone tell me, what its use is?"

I felt my hand shoot into the air. Of course I knew the spell, I had used it just a couple of months earlier. Professor Flitwick didn't pick me right away, at first he just searched the room waiting for anyone else to figure it out. When nobody did he caved in.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"It's used to make a deep gouge in the target of the spell," I answered proudly and heard Malfoy snort besides me.

"Of course she knows," he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear it.

"Very well," Flitwick said. "5 point for Gryffindor. Have you ever performed this piece of magic?"

During the year were Harry, Ron and I had been out of school, looking for Horcruxes, we had used many spells that no one in this classroom had ever heard of before. I had even made some of my own. When the teachers realised just how much I had learned while being away, some of them had picked up the habit of asking me, if I could do this or that piece of magic.

"Yes, I have," I answered. Flitwick looked at me with raised eyebrows and I sensed his next question. "I used it when Ron, Harry and I were escaping Gringotts on the back of the dragon they had down there. We had to blow our way out, and Defodio was the spell I used for that."

"Very well," the Professor said. "Then you can help me demonstrate it and after that you can walk around and help the others."

I nodded, got to my feet and walked to his desk. Flitwick pointed his wand at the desk and turned it to stone.

"Then let's get down to it," he said enthusiastically. "Make a hole in my table Miss Granger. I will make sure that you don't hurt anybody."

I nodded again and pointed my wand at the stone table.

"De-FOH-dee-oh!" I shouted and a long cut was blown in the table. Flitwick used his wand to keep all the little shards of stone from flying all over the place.

"Very good, Miss Granger, very good indeed," he complimented me. "10 points for Gryffindor."

I heard Seamus clapping and whooping and it made me smile.

"So class," Flitwick said with a stern look at Seamus, who instantly fell silent. "What I want you to do now, is team up in teams of two. The teams will be made according to where you are sitting. Meaning that the two of you are together and the two of you and so on and so forth."

I heard a quill snap and also felt my heard flip. The two last people he had pointed to were Malfoy and Seamus. Malfoy had gotten so mad that he had broken his quill, which was clearly an expensive one.

'_Oh, Merlin's sweet pants,"_ I thought to myself. _'This is going to be Hell.'_

But there was nothing either of us could do, the Professor made the teams and you just had to live with them. Still, I could help Seamus, since I was co-teacher for the class. So I made their team my first one.

"You ready?" I asked them both but I only looked at Seamus. He opened his mouth about to say something but Malfoy cut in.

"I don't need your help with anything, Granger," he snorted and pushed me aside so he could face Seamus.

I got worried right there. This was not going to be good. But Seamus looked at me and smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry, 'Mione," he said, using the nickname he had given me. "This is something I'm good at, remember?"

The wicked smile he sent me made me laugh and the knot of discomfort in my stomach eased up a little.

"Class, listen up again," Flitwick voice sounded. "Transform you desk into stone, I know you can do it, because I have spoken to Professor McGonagall. Then in your teams one of you uses the spell and the other makes sure that no splinters hurt anybody else, just as Miss Granger and I did."

Malfoy raised an eyebrow and his upper lip curled into a mocking smile, when he pointed his wand at the table and turned it into stone without a word. I have to admit that I was very impressed. Of course I would have been able to do the same thing, but it was really advanced magic to use a silent transfiguration spell.

"Since you're so good at this," Malfoy said to Seamus, still with the mocking smile "then I'll let you go first."

Seamus just made an ugly face at Malfoy, laughed and picked up his wand. He pointed it at table behind which Malfoy and I were standing and he said, "De-foh-DEE-oh!"

I knew it had gone wrong just then. The table suffered no harm whatsoever and nothing else had been blown up, as it was Seamus' specialty. Actually there wasn't any sign of harm anywhere. Until Malfoy lifted his hand to cover his yarning mouth. My hand followed it against my will, as if a string was conjured between his left hand and my right one.

"Don't do that, Granger," he said. "I am capable of covering my mouth without your help."

"I didn't do it for your sake, Malfoy," I said through clenched teeth and pulled my hand away from his mouth. His hand followed mine and almost sent Malfoy flying right into me.

"What's going on here?" he said and tried to pull his hand back, but mine just followed it. Our wrists were glued together.

"This is not good," I whispered.

Malfoy stopped struggling and our joined hands fell to our sides.

"You can say that again," he noted. "What do we do now?"

"'Mione, I'm so sorry," Seamus said and looked quizzically from our hands to his wand. "This is a first."

"Well, let's just be glad that this is what happened and not the usual," I said and slightly pulled at my hand. Malfoy's followed.

"There is nothing you can say, that will make sticking together with a Muggleborn feel better," Malfoy said with a snarl.

"Actually, Seamus has a habit of blowing things up, so I'd say that this is to be preferred," I noted with an icy tone. Malfoy's face went white and his mouth fell open.

"That does actually make it a little better," he said, as he realised just how close he had come to being able to fit into a shoebox. "But what do we do?"

"Pomfrey or Flitwick?" I asked him.

"Pomfrey," he answered and started walking towards the door pulling me after him. I tried to get him to stop by putting my heels against the floor, but he was way too strong for me, and he simply kept pulling.

"Seamus," I called over my shoulder "tell Flitwick what happened and where we have gone. We'll probably be back soon."

He smiled and waved at me.

"Slow down, Malfoy," I hissed at him, when my attention went to him again.

"I will not," he said and kept pulling me. "Now shut up and walk faster. I don't intent on carrying you. It's bad enough that our wrists are touching."

I sighed and gave in. It was very hard keeping up with him. His stride was long and furious; his legs were also a lot longer than mine. Sometimes I almost feared that my arm was going to fall off, but I made it to the Hospital Wing in one piece.

"Oh my, children!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed when Malfoy burst in through the door dragging me after him. "What's the matter?"

"We're stuck!" Malfoy said through clenched teeth and raised his arm. Mine followed straight after. "Look!" He shook his hand and mine did the same.

"How did this happen?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she examined out joined hands. I looked at Malfoy, waiting for him to answer the question but he was clearly too mad to say anything more.

"Seamus Finnigan had an accident when we were practicing the Defodio Charm," I explained.

"That's very strange," Madam Pomfrey muttered to herself. "I've never seen anything like this."

Those words made Malfoy's tongue functional again.

"What?" he almost spat out the word. "But you will be able to make it go away, right?"

"I'm not sure," Madam Pomfrey mused. "I'm afraid you'll have to stay here in the Hospital Wing for the rest of the day, so I can try different things out on you."

And then my heart fell right into the pit of my stomach. I was tied to Draco Malfoy and it looked like I would be stuck like that for a while. Besides me Malfoy sighed and threw his hands in the air in frustration. Mine followed his and made him look nastily at me.

"This is all your fault Mudblood," he hissed at me with narrow eyes when Madam Pomfrey wasn't listening. "And I'll make you pay, one way or another."

Once again I only felt the need to laugh it off. The situation was so bizarre that I couldn't take it seriously. I simply started laughing uncontrollably, holding my hands against my stomach when it started hurting. But as soon as Malfoy's hand also touched me the giggling fit was over.

"Sorry," I whispered and looked at his face from the corner of my eye.

To my immense surprise, he was smiling. And not a mean or nasty smile but a real and genuine smile. When Madam Pomfrey returned her attention to us, his smile fated quickly and he was once again the annoying, mean kid he had always been. But I still couldn't forget the smile. It had made him look so beautiful.

"I have pushed two beds together for you," the nurse said with a smile. "You can go sit down there, if you want."

Okay, that was really not what I wanted. I was forced to be alone with Draco Malfoy for the rest of the day, and to top it off, we even had to share a bed. I glanced at Malfoy's face again and saw contempt in his every feature. Great, he had the same thoughts as I did. The day was going to be really interesting. And we hadn't even had lunch yet.


	2. The Truce

**The Truce**

I looked at the beds that Madam Pomfrey had pushed together for us. I wouldn't have minded sitting on those beds with Harry or Ron. But I just couldn't imagine sitting there with Draco Malfoy. And sitting so close! It was horrifying. I glanced at Malfoy's face and saw him eyeing the beds suspiciously.

"Should we sit?" I dared to ask. Malfoy looked at me with a frown.

"Well, this can't really get any worse can it?" he asked, and I didn't know how to respond to that. I didn't even know what he meant until he started walking towards the beds and I had to follow or lose my arm.

"Climb up," he said when we reached the bed.

It was really not all that easy. The beds were quite high and I had to push myself up with both hands on the bed, meaning that Malfoy also had to put a hand on the bed. When I finally got up, I scooted over with my right hand reached out towards Malfoy. He had no problem at all getting onto the bed and he sat next to me, leaned against a pillow. I sat crossed-legged closer to him than I had been since the infamous punch in our third year.

None of us really said anything, we just sat in the bed and looked at everything else than each other. I was busy studying the bubbles in the pumpkin juice standing on the little bedside table. Then Malfoy started whistling. The tune was catchy and soon it flooded my mind and my head bobbed along with the tones emerging from his mouth.

"What song is that?" I asked him, forgetting that it was Draco Malfoy I was talking to.

"It's none of you business, Granger," he snapped and the music stopped.

"Fine," I defended myself. "Forget I asked." I crossed my arms, but Malfoy's hand followed mine and touched my arm. He quickly withdrew it and placed our joined hands on the bed between us. Urgh, why had I forgotten about that little thing! It was the reason we were even together!

"Geez, Granger," he said and shot me a nasty look. "I didn't know you wanted me to touch you that badly."

"Actually I'd rather you kept every part of your body at least 100 ft. from mine," I said with my head turned away from him.

To spark my fury, Malfoy just laughed.

"I'd believe that if you weren't blushing," he laughed at me.

Fear grabbed me and I clasped my cheeks with both my hands, making Malfoy's follow.

"Oh, Merlin!" I gasped and made my hands fall down again, when I realized my mistake and Malfoy just laughed even harder than before. Two times in a row, that was bad!

"You're so easy," he gasped in between laughs.

"Thanks," I mumbled sarcastically and turned my back on him. We fell silent for a while. I was way too stubborn even consider speaking to him.

"It was a song I made myself," I suddenly heard him say.

Shocked I turned my head to face him, but didn't see any joke in his gray eyes.

"What?" I asked, not only in disbelief that he wrote the tune himself but that I actually offered me a piece of information about himself. It was the most meaningful conversation we had ever had, and it only consisted of one sentence.

"I write music," he sighed and I then turned my entire body towards him.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked with narrow eyes.

I raised one eyebrow and for a second I thought he wasn't going to tell me anything more. But he sighed before saying, "Since we are going to be stuck in here together all day, we might as well be civil with each other. At least just for the day."

I admit that I didn't believe him at all. I thought it was just some trick he was playing on me. I stared intently at him.

"You're kidding right?"

I waited for him to agree and then say something mean or insulting, but he just shook his head and continued looking back at me. I wouldn't say that the look was nice or anything but at least it wasn't a look of disgust, and that was something. Perhaps this could actually work.

"So, you write music?" I asked, not knowing what else to say.

"Yep," he said. "I have for a few years now."

"Do you play anything?"

"Just the piano," he answered. "Since I was 6."

Somehow it wasn't hard for me at all to imagine him sitting at the piano and running his long, slim fingers over the keys of an expensive piano forte. He could even imagine his face all serious and concentrated. The image of Malfoy and a piano just looked perfect. He was even sophisticated enough, something that I had never realised before. And he was… sort of beautiful. In his own, weird and condescending way.

"Do you play anything?" he asked and tore me from my fantasy. I think I blushed a little, realising that I had been fantasising about Draco Malfoy.

"No, nothing," I admitted a little ashamed that there was something Malfoy did better than me.

"Does that annoy you?" Malfoy asked with a big grin.

"I thought we had a one-day truce?" I asked hotly.

"Sorry," he said, still smiling. "Don't tell anyone that I said that!"

"Well, don't count on it," I said, still crossed with him.

"We sure are good at keeping a truce," he noted.

"I think it has something to do with being natural enemies," I mused and saw him nodding thoughtfully.

"Most likely," he answered.

At that moment Madam Pomfrey came to us. She had her wand in her hand, which wasn't a normal sight. Usually she had some sort of potion or lotion. She stopped in front of us with a little smile.

"Children," she said as she looked from one to the other. "I might have the answer. Since it was a spell gone wrong, I thought it would be best if I tried to correct it with a spell."

"Which spell do you plan on using?" I couldn't restrain myself from asking.

"I want to use Diffindo, a spell for tearing apart."

I saw the little gleam of doubt in her eyes and instantly felt it in my stomach as well. But it was Malfoy who worded our concerns.

"Are you sure that this won't hurt us?" he asked. "Not that I care about her, but I don't want _any _scars damaging my good looks or ruining my alabaster skin."

"Hmph," was all I had to say to that, and I saw Malfoy's pleased smile. Great, he had said that just to bug me. Well, he succeeded. I was now officially pissed. Even though he was the one who suggested the truce, I was the only one who actually honoured it. And then it was final; I was a trusting and naïve moron.

"I'm not really sure it won't hurt you," she answered truthfully. "But I promise you Mister Malfoy, if any wound should appear on your _good looking_ person I won't let you scar."

I had never heard Madam Pomfrey make a joke before, and so I had to laugh.

"She got you," I said and gave Malfoy an elbow to the side.

"Just trust me, Mister Malfoy," Madam Pomfrey said and pointed her wand at our hands. "dih-FIN-doh," she said. I felt a little twitch in my wrist, but when I lifted my hand nothing had changed. We were still stuck, and Malfoy's slender hand followed mine.

"I'm sorry, children," she sighed. "I'll just get back to work then." And then she left us again.

I sighed angrily and crossed my one arm, so that Malfoy's wouldn't get near me again.

"This is just _perfect!_" I said. "Really perfect! Stuck with Draco Malfoy and the school nurse can't even make it go away. Make _him _go away!"

Malfoy started laughing again.

"Do you always talk to yourself, Granger?" he asked me arrogantly.

"Only when I'm really mad," I answered him.

"Remind me not to get on your wrong side," he teased me.

"Oh, I will," was my only answer. I was really not in the mood for making smart comebacks at Malfoy, especially when I had just been made a fool of after trying to make nice with him.

"Oh, come on Granger," he laughed and pricked my upper arm. "Can't you tell friendly teasing from mocking?"

"Apparently not," I answered and turned from him as much as I could. But Malfoy wouldn't let me have my space. Suddenly he leaned his head over my shoulder and looked at me with a wide grin.

"Don't be like that, Granger," he smiled. "It's no fun like this. Let's just work on the whole truce thing."

Then he did something I had never imagined him doing before. He made puppy eyes at me. Big, pleading, adorable puppy eyes that were impossible to resist. I laughed and gave in.

"Fine," I said. "We should at least try to make this work. I mean, since we are stuck."

"That's the spirit, Granger," he said.

"Well, in the spirit of this truce, shouldn't we quit the last names?" I asked a little hesitantly. "I mean, just for the day."

He pondered over that, then nodded and held out his right hand.

"Fine," he said. "I'm Draco."

I took his hand with my left one, which was quite awkward, and shook it saying, "I'm Hermione."

And that was when I felt the spark run between us.

_So… click the button! I want to know your thoughts and that's easier to do with the button than if I have to learn mindreading first, and then figure out way to do that through a computer._


	3. The Touch

**The Touch**

When his hand touched mine, I felt and electrical surge run all through my body. I looked at Draco's face with a slightly open mouth in shock. Well, I couldn't see my own face, but I imagined that it looked exactly like his. Mouth hanging open, big, shocked eyes and eyebrows in the hair. So, he had definitely felt the same thing as I. He quickly released my hand and looked away, and so did I.

I had nothing to say, I was way too stunned at what had just happened. It had been months since I last had that feeling. It was when Ron first time kissed me during the Battle of Hogwarts. The kiss had sparked all kinds of feelings inside of me, which led to a three month long relationship. We had ended things on good terms, no hard feelings on either side. We just decided that our friendship was better than our relationship. Experiencing that feeling again should have been pleasant. If it hadn't been for Draco Malfoy. Why, oh why did I have to get that feeling when he touched me? It was beyond ridiculous!

"I wonder how long we have to stay here," I said just to say something and end the embarrassing and awkward silence. Draco turned his head a little and looked at me again. His look was quizzically as if he was trying to fathom something that wasn't supposed to be comprehended.

"I think it could take all day," he answered and moved his gaze to my hand. The hand he had just touched. "We'll have to wait and see."

And then he reached out and gently ran a finger over the back of my hand. The feeling made me tremble and I hated myself for that. He shouldn't have that power over me.

"Huh," was all he said and then removed his finger.

The silence continued and this time I didn't want to end it. It was his turn, my stubborn heart yelled at me. He didn't say anything. But I one noticed how he kept looking at my hand. One time he even moved his gaze from my hand and traced my arm all the way to my face. I stared back at him and he smiled wickedly. I have to say, it actually made me a little exited, but most of all I was mad. I was having a really hard time grasping this new feeling towards him and he just smiled!

"What?!" I snapped at him, making him smile even more.

"It's a shame you are too feisty," he commented. "You are actually quite hot."

I hit him. Hard. Unfortunately I missed his face because he moved his head before my fist hit it, but instead my hand made contact with his chest that made him curl up.

"What did you do that for?" he moaned in pain while he was holding both hands to his chest. Suddenly I realized that I was touching Draco Malfoys chest. So what if he had a shirt on, I was still touching his chest! And yet again electricity passed through me.

I ignored it and said, "You made fun of me!"

"When did I do that?" he asked stunned.

"Just before, when you said that about me!"

"What, that you are feisty?" his voice was confused, and that got to me a little.

"That too but what about the part where you called me hot?!" I tried very hard not to scream at him.

"Since when is giving a compliment teasing?" he sounded really sincere.

"It is when you don't mean it," I answered with my nose held high.

"You think I didn't mean that?"

"Of course you didn't mean it," I answered him, but I heard the uncertainty in my voice.

"Well, I meant it," he said softly, and I knew he wasn't lying. I saw the truth in his sparkling, gray eyes.

I didn't have a comeback for that one. How do you answer something like that? My enemy for life just gave me a compliment. There was only one thing I could say.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Don't take it too seriously, Hermione," he said with a smug smile. "It was just a compliment."

"I know," I quickly said.

"Good," he said and we fell silent once more.

It was hard being civil with Draco. It was really hard to suddenly just trust him and believe him. And not hate him. On top of that he made my stomach fill up with butterflies, he made my mouth dry and my toes curl. Oh God, it was really bad.

"What are you going to do for Christmas?" he suddenly asked.

"I don't know yet," I answered. "I might just go home. See my parents."

"You aren't going to see Weasley?" he asked and sneered at the name.

"I might do that too for a day or two," I answered. "I could also just go to Harry's." I thoughtfully added.

"Potter has his own place?" Draco asked in surprise.

"Yes," I said. "He inherited it from his Godfather Sirius."

"That's right," Draco said. "His Godfather was Sirius Black."

"Sirius was really a good man," I always found myself defending Sirius when someone mentioned his name.

"I know, remember?" Draco said.

Of course I remembered what he was referring to. He was thinking about the night Ron, Harry and I were held captive in his mansion and I was being tortured by his aunt Bellatrix. Peter Pettigrew had been there, and he had killed himself there. But when Peter was allowed in that house with those people, then of course the Malfoy family knew about him and Sirius.

"Sorry," I apologized. "I always get so jumpy when people talk about Sirius. He was a wonderful man and I really miss him. But Harry misses him even more, and that hurts, you know? To see someone you love in pain. Still, Harry has Teddy now. And Ginny. He'll be alright."

I smiled when I remembered the little boy at home with Harry. Teddy Lupin had lost both his parents during the Battle of Hogwarts, parents that I had been proud to call my friends, but Harry was his Godfather and he took in the boy as if he was his son. I then decided on at least visiting Harry and Teddy.

"So Potter has this Teddy and the Weasley girl," Draco said. "Who do you have?"

I stared at him before answering in a whisper, "I have my parents."

I knew he didn't mean it like that. He was talking about a boyfriend and I didn't have one. But how twisted was this? I was ashamed of not having a boyfriend when Draco Malfoy asked me about it.

"Nobody else?" he asked and actually sounded surprised. I shook my head.

"What about you?" I asked, trying to turn away the attention from me.

"I also just have my parents," he answered without sounding even the slightest bit uncomfortable with it. "So, that's where I'm going for Christmas. I envy you, though."

Okay, that really almost made me choke! Draco Malfoy, the rich, spoiled kid, envied me, the Muggleborn nerd.

"Why would you do such a silly thing?" I asked him with big, non-believing eyes.

"Because you have friends," he answered me softly. "I mean, actual friends who care about you. The fact that you can visit them whenever you want and that you are actually welcome and wanted amazes me. And it makes me a little jealous. You have a pretty good life."

And… then I blushed. Because, let's face it, he was right. My life was actually quite good, and just before I was embarrassed at not having a boyfriend. But really, who needs that when they have friends and family like mine?

"I do," I said with both a blush and a smile.

"It's nice to see the two of you finally getting along," I heard Madam Pomfrey say as she walked towards us. "I have something else here." She put down a bottle of some sort of lotion on the little table next to our beds.

"What's that?" Draco sceptically asked.

"It's a Peeling Lotion," Madam Pomfrey asked. "I'm not sure if it will work. Normally I use it to peel of dead skin and such things. But perhaps it can work."

She took the cap of the bottle and took hold of our joined hands.

"You might feel a slight burn," she warned us before she poured the lotion over the place where our hands were glued together.

Oh, and it burned! The lotion was fiery red and it felt like it lit a fire on my skin. I balled my hand into a fist and dug my fingernails into my palm to switch the pain. I noticed Draco doing the same thing. Then she started to rub the lotion over our hands and the burning spread and intensified. Without thinking I grabbed Draco's free hand with my own and clutched on to it. When I remembered who the hand belonged to, I wanted to free myself, but it was impossible since Draco was squeezing my hand tightly. I looked at him and saw him looking at me. I tried to smile encouragingly at him, but the smile was shaky and fell apart because of the pain. He tried to do the same but with no better result than mine.

Then the burning finally ended as Madam Pomfrey wiped away the lotion. I tried to move my hand away from Draco's but nothing happened. We were still stuck together. I sighed heavily and heard Draco do the same thing.

"Guess we'll have to stay a little while longer," Draco said and smiled at me. I weakly returned the smile.

A part of me wanted to get the Hell out of there, to get as far away from him as possible. But another part of me, the noisy part of me, wanted me to stay put to explore the new feelings I was suddenly developing for Draco. Since I couldn't follow my first instinct and get away, the other half won. And I was secretly glad that it did.

"I guess so," I answered him. Then I remembered that we were holding hands even though the pain had subsided. Where it had felt comforting and suiting before it was now just plain awkward. Fast I pulled my hand back and felt my cheeks heat up.

"And, er," I stammered "sorry about that by the way."

"Don't worry about it," he calmed me. "It actually helped. Who would have thought that Hermione Granger was going to _help _me?"

I laughed.

"The same person that thought that we were going to be stuck together," I answered and he started laughing as well.

_The third chapter, tell me you thoughts please._


	4. The Talk

**The Talk**

"You know what, Hermione?" Draco asked me when we finally stopped laughing.

"No, Draco, what?" I answered him still smiling.

"It has been nice hanging out with you."

I seriously thought he was kidding me. I wouldn't be surprised if he was. But the truth was that I felt the same way. I had actually enjoyed myself, so I felt a desperate hope that his words were sincere and that he was telling the truth for the first time in his snobby life.

"I think so too," I dared to say. Then I saw his smile get stiff and I bit my tongue. I had definitely said something wrong. Great.

"But you know that this can't continue," he whispered and I was surprised to hear sorrow in his deep voice. "This truce is just for as long as we are stuck together. When we get free we are going to go back to the way things were."

I nodded my head. He was right, I knew that. But I also knew that I actually liked being with him and that he wasn't all that bad. I actually wanted to get to know Draco Malfoy better. The realisation of those strange emotions shook my core and made my mind go blank. My eyesight got hazy and I lost track of time, just sitting there on the bed thinking about how I wanted to be with Draco Malfoy. I was only ripped from my thoughts when Draco pulled at our joined hands and made me tilt and hid my head on his shoulder. I blushed deeply and sat up straight again.

"Where were you Granger?" he asked me, and I noticed how he went back to using my last name. I sighed. It was already beginning and all I could do was remembering the feel of Draco's shoulder beneath my cheek. It was so wrong. So wrong that it made kissing Slughorn seem almost right. And yet I couldn't deny it. I liked Draco's body. There was no shame in that was there? I mean, you could appreciate a body without liking the person, right? But the problem remained that I was beginning to like, actually _like_, Draco. And that made me feel dizzy and faint.

"I was just…" I mumbled "just lost in thought, I guess."

"Well, snap out of it will you?" he said with a smirk.

"Sure sure," I said but still felt far away.

He looked intently at me with concern and searched my face for something, I didn't know what.

"You sure you are alright?" I asked and sounded genuine.

I pulled myself together and looked him in the eyes when I answered, "Perfectly fine." And then I smiled a brave smile.

"Okay," Draco said, but I heard the uncertainty. I didn't believe me. And he was worried about me. I liked that. Stupid me!

"I'm just really enjoying myself," I explained and quickly added, "Who would have thought that, huh? It's going to be a little sad to just… leave like that."

His lips curled and formed a reassuring smile.

"I know how you feel," he said softly but then he tensed up. "Merlin, if anyone ever heard me say that, they would think that I was crazy or that you had hexed me."

He laughed sharply and I tried to do the same, but none of us really committed to the laugh.

"There really is no way for us to be friends is there?" I asked with a bleak voice.

"No, there isn't," was Draco's answer, and he sounded just as gloomy as I. With a sideways glance at me he slowly moved closer to me and took my free hand with his own. His hand was warm and comforting as it laid draped over mine. I smiled weakly and he returned it. I had never before realised how soft his eyes were, his gray irises were like liquid silver.

I cleared my throat and tried to sound serious and not like a depressed little school girl.

"So, tomorrow we'll be Mudblood and Ferret again?" I asked him with a slight smile which he returns.

"I guess so," he says and the sorrow is there in his every word.

'_Does he feel what I feel?'_ I dare to ask myself and then another question hits me, _'What the Hell _do_ I feel?!'_ the question was so bizarre and the answer was even worse, I had absolutely. And all my friends know that I hate when there is something I don't know.

I shook my head again. This was extremely stupid. I couldn't be developing any sort of feelings for Draco just because we had been locked together for the last two hours. There was nothing there I was just a little confused about his whole truce thing. Then my stomach ruined my thought process when it growled. I heard Draco laugh and he released my hand. It suddenly felt wrong, and my hand got cold. I wanted him to put his hand back on top of mine. But that was just silly. Wasn't it?

"I guess it's time for some lunch," he said with a teasing smile. I stuck my tongue out at him which made him laugh. His laugh sounded like silver bells ringing and it reminded me of his eyes. God, this was really, really bad!

"If we weren't stuck together and if you weren't Granger I would get us some food," he said still smiling at me. "But since that's not the case, I'll just call Madam Pomfrey for us, shall I?"

I nodded and he turned his head against Madam Pomfrey's office.

"Madam!" he yelled and I had to shield my ears with my hands. "Madam, is it possible to get some lunch?"

"You know," I said still holding a hand over my hurting ear, "we could have just walked into that office. It's not like we are unable walk."

I looked at me with an apology in his eyes, but he didn't mouth what his eyes were telling me. Well, I hadn't expected him to do that. Right then we heard a big crack and a house elf was standing in front of us holding a tray with food. I smiled pleasantly at the little creature, who just gave the tray to Draco.

"Thank you," I said and then the elf disappeared with another loud crack.

When I turned around Draco had already begun to look through the food on the plate.

"Why did you thank him?" he asked without looking up. He picked up a grape and put in his mouth.

"Because he did something nice for us," I answered and felt myself get a little angry at his question. Of course I would thank that poor little thing.

"But that's his job," Draco noted and swallowed another grape. He then offered me one. I snatched it from his grip but didn't eat it.

"So what if it's his job?" I asked, feeling my cheeks heat with fury. "It's still nice to say thank you."

"Sure," Draco said and dropped the subject. He turned his attention to the chicken salad which he began eating.

I sighed and followed his lead, digging into my own salad. It was surprisingly hard to eat with my left hand only. Of course I was used to holding a fork in that hand, but when I did that I always had a knife in the other one. When I only had a fork he preferred holding it with my right hand, but now that wasn't an option I had to settle for the little my left hand could do. But when I had tried to stab the same piece of chicken five times Draco lost his temper. He grabbed my fork and stabbed the chicken violently. But instead of just giving me back the fork he held it to my lips so I could I eat the blasted chicken. I slowly opened my mouth and he eased in the fork. All the time I saw his eyes linger on my lips and it made me feel all tingly. I closed my mouth and chewed but still he looked at my lips. When I swallowed he had already gotten another piece of chicken on my fork and was ready to feed me once more. It continued for a little minute when we finally realised what we were doing. Draco cleared his throat loudly and gave me back my fork. I took at with a blush and thanked him.

"Don't worry about it," he said and I smiled when I saw him blush as well.

We fell silent for a while and we both just nibbled at the food without any real interest. Then he suddenly broke the silence.

"Okay, that was just plain weird wasn't it?" he asked me, trying to make I joke but I sensed the insecurity that coloured his voice.

"It was," I admitted. And after a little while I added, "But it didn't really feel wrong." I was afraid to look at him. What if he didn't agree with me? But then me brilliant mind kicked in and said to me, that if he had felt that it was wrong he wouldn't have kept feeding me.

"No, it didn't," he answered and sounded slightly astonished. And of course this was the time were Madam Pomfrey decided to barge in with another clever idea. Along with her she had brought Professor Slughorn, the Potions teacher and Head of the Slytherin House.

"Children," she said and looked from the one to the other. "I have asked Professor Slughorn to help me with this problem since it seems to be too difficult for me to handle it alone."

Slughorn then stepped forward and grabbed our joined hands. The food tray almost fell to the ground, but before it hit Madam Pomfrey waved her wand at it and it disappeared.

"Very interesting," Professor Slughorn mumbled to himself as he searched our hands. "Very interesting indeed. There doesn't seem to be any visible connection and yet it is there. Hmm. Perhaps I have a thing for this."

Then he let go of our hands and they fell to the bed between us. He began to rummage through a little bag he had brought with him. With a triumphant exclamation he withdrew a small bottle from the depths of the bag.

"Here it is," he said and held out the potion. "This is a potion made to dissolve a permanent sticking charm when it is performed on people. I think it might do the trick."

He gave the bottle to Madam Pomfrey, who poured the dark green liquid into two small glasses. There was only a mouthful for the both of us, but the foul stench made that mouthful seem like swallowing a mountain. I smelled distinctly like glue and sweat and I didn't like it one tiny bit. One small glance at Draco told me that he had the same thought as me.

"Here you go children," Madam Pomfrey said and handed us each a glass. I took with raised eyebrows and slowly brought it closer to my lips. When the edge of the glass made contact with my lips I closed my eyes and threw my head backwards pouring the potions down my throat. It burned terribly. I coughed and heard Draco do the same. Tears drowned my eyes and the world went blurry.

"Oh dear," I heard Madam Pomfrey say and I felt a cloth touch my face and wipe away the tears. When I could see again I tried to move my hand away from Draco's. But nothing had changed. His hand still followed mine and we were still stuck.

"Well, I tired," Slughorn said, packed his bag left the Hospital Wing.

"I'll keep looking for a cure," Madam Pomfrey said and left us as well.

"This is so annoying," I said and let myself fall back on the bed. Draco remained sitting and looked at me.

"What if we never get out of this?" he asked me seriously.

"I don't know," I answered. "Then I guess we'll have to learn to like each other and just stay together."

"We would probably have to get married then," Draco said and laughed at his own joke. I didn't participate. I wasn't going to tell him that I wasn't planning on ever getting married. I never understood the whole constitution of marriage. To me it would be enough to just have a little party with my family and friends to celebrate my love for whoever I chose to be with. I didn't need a reverends clever words or a piece of paper to tell me that I could love a man for the rest of my life.

"That could be interesting," I settled on saying and joined him in his laughter, although my laugh was only half-hearted.


	5. The Rescue

**The Rescue**

Draco noticed that my heart was not in the laugh, and he eyed my suspiciously. I tried to smile back at him, but the smile fell apart. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again before a sound left him. His gaze grew more intense and I had to look away. I turned my back at him and felt my head swell with thoughts. Thoughts of love, marriage and children. Thoughts that were normally so far from my mind, but when Draco Malfoy mentioned them, they clouded every corner of my brain. It was incredibly annoying.

"You okay, Hermione?" I heard his concerned voice from behind, and I answered with a little nod.

Then I felt his hand on my shoulder and I crumbled.

"It's just that…" I started but couldn't get myself to finish.

"Was it something I said?" he asked and I suddenly felt angry and frustrated.

"It's always something you say, Malfoy!" I yelled at him. I was a little surprised at myself, but then in the end the anger won.

"I thought we had a truce?" for a second he actually looked hurt, but then anger was the only emotion in his face. "Oh, I see. This was just for you to have something fun to tell your little friends."

I could not believe that he thought so little of me. That sounded more like something he would have done and not me. Well, it only showed how little he actually knew me.

"I don't do that, Malfoy," I spat out in anger. "It sounds more like something you would do." By this time was completely facing him again. His grey eyes looked like the sky during a thunderstorm and I half expected a lightning to emerge from their depths and strike me down.

"Yeah, sure Granger," he snickered. "Like you could never be mean. I know you better than you think, and really you and I are very much alike."

"We are not!" I screamed, taken aback at his words. How the Hell had he reasoned himself to that one?

"Sure we are," he said with an evil grin. "You enjoy seeing the ones who hurt you or the ones you simply don't like suffer. Don't argue with me on this one. I know you."

I desperately wanted to give him back for that one. But I couldn't think of anything good to say. Because it was true. He actually knew something about me that I had never wanted to acknowledge. When Bellatrix died I was pleased. She had tortured me and deserved it. When Augustus Rockwood was re-imprisoned I almost laughed. He had killed Fred and he was better off in Azkaban. So, Malfoy actually knew something about me that not even Ron or Harry did.

"I know something about you too, Malfoy," I said in a low voice.

"See, there's the difference between you and I Granger," he said. "I don't care what you think you know about me. Even if you _do _actually something real, it doesn't bother me."

He looked confident and it was killing me.

"Really?" I asked, looking at him with only one eye. "Well, then I guess that I should just forget how sweet you have been today."

I waited for the confident, smug smile to disappear or at least just tremble a little. But nothing happened. And that made me even madder than I was before.

"Merlin!" I yelled and threw my hands in the air. Malfoy's hand followed mine. "You are just indestructible, aren't you?!"

"Pretty much," he said smiling and ran a hand through his silvery blonde hair, ruffling up. "Face it Granger. I am just more secure and confident than you are."

"Fine," I mumbled to myself and crossed my one arm over my chest. "Fine, you win. Are you happy?" I lifted my head to meet his eyes, hoping that mine would burn a hole through him. But his face was soft and he looked concerned again.

"No," he whispered and the serenity in his voice took my breath from me. "No, I'm not happy. Do you feel better now?"

And then I knew that he had staged the entire fight. And I was grateful. Can you believe that? I was grateful towards Draco Malfoy for fighting with me. Totally backwards and wrong, but also so true.

"Yeah," I answered and the smile that shoved on my face was neither forced nor fake. "I owe you one."

"That you do, Hermione," he said with a smile. "I won't forget that."

"Don't get too cocky," I said.

"Okay," he answered still smiling. "Now, will you tell me what went wrong?"

I felt a blush and had to look away.

"Oh God, Granger!" Draco exclaimed. "You weren't actually thinking about marrying me, were you?"

"Of course not!" I quickly said and slapped his hand lightly. "I was really just thinking about marriage in general."

"And that's bad because…" Draco urged me on.

"Because I don't do that!" I finally gave in and said. "I am a rational being and there is nothing less rational than marriage!"

"And so you got mad?" he asked, not quite getting why that was so bad.

"Yes it is," I sighed. "I don't believe in marriage, okay. So I tend not to think about it at all. But suddenly I found myself reconsidering. _That _made me mad. And the fact that _you _were the one who got me thinking…"

Draco stopped my rambling on by placing a light hand on mine.

"I don't believe in marriage either," he said. I cocked my eyebrow to get him to explain. "I have seen a bad marriage up close. It's horrible that just because you have made a promise to God, you can't just walk away when you really want to."

I wasn't sure that I liked his reason for not liking marriage. It seemed to focus very much on the negatives.

"What's your reason?" he sounded curious.

"I just don't think that you need a piece of paper to tell you that you are allowed to love each other," I explained. "Love shouldn't be about that. It should just be about caring and being together."

"Isn't that a little naïve?" he asked me, and I felt anger stir in my stomach again.

"Isn't you reason a little pessimistic?" I retorted and that made him laugh.

"Touché, Hermione," he laughed. "Withdraw your claws little kitty."

I scratched his lower arm with my half long nails. They left three red marks on his arm.

"Who are you calling a kitty?" I asked and looked at him teasingly.

"Okay okay," he laughed and covered the marks with his hand, the hand that was joined with mine. I was now touching Draco's arm, but none of us tried to draw back. Gently I grabbed his arm with my hand and held onto him. "Then I should call you lioness," he said while he stared into my eyes.

I had to swallow before I could reply.

"Better," was all I could say while he held my eyes with his own.

I felt my hand get clammy and I wanted to remove it from his arm before he felt it as well, but still I didn't want to let go of him. For some totally bizarre reason I was actually enjoying being so close to Draco and I liked the feel of his skin beneath mine. I couldn't turn away from him. It was utterly impossible to break this strange new connection between us. My heart fluttered like a caged bird when Draco wiggled his arm a little. I was terrified, yes terrified, that he was going to cut me off from him. But he didn't. Instead he moved my hand to lie in his. He held on tight to my little, shaking hand. His hand totally covered mine and I suddenly felt warm and save. I smiled at him and he returned the smile somewhat insecure. I almost laughed at that. Just a few minutes before he was mister confidence himself, but holding my hand made him fell uncertain. But when I saw the vulnerability in his eyes the laugher got stuck in my throat. I blushed and so did he, but neither of us broke the contact. Suddenly he started leaning forward and I knew what was going on. He was going to kiss me. And if that wasn't weird enough, I actually wanted him to do it. I wanted him to kiss me so thoroughly that he made my knees shake. I closed my eyes and awaited his lips.

"Here I am again," Madam Pomfrey suddenly said, standing right in front of us and, and made my eyes flow open. Draco released my hand quickly and we jumped away from each as far as it was possible. Merlin, didn't that woman have a sense of situation? Didn't she know when to leave people alone? I was just about to ask her, but when I saw the enthusiastic look on her face I couldn't bring myself to do it. I quickly glanced at Draco. He was looking murderously at the nurse, but there was also confusion in his eyes. That didn't surprise me I felt pretty confused myself.

"I think I have it now!" she said with a big smile and waved her hand at someone I couldn't see until he came closer. It was Seamus. His eyes were big and even more confused than Draco's. He was looking from me to Draco and then back again, his face one big question mark. I knew then that he had seen what almost happened. And he was not pleased, that much was for sure. Madam Pomfrey was totally oblivion to our teenage fears and concerns and just chirped on.

"I had a wonderful idea," she said. "Since it was Mister Finnigan who got you into this mess, I thought it would be only appropriate if he got you out of it. So he is going to perform the same charm on you that got you stuck together."

Draco cleared his throat and said, "Sorry Madam, but if he got us into this isn't it possible that he'll make it all worse? I mean, he is actually known for his successes." The contempt was evident in his voice and it shocked me. Had I only imagined the sweet Draco who had nearly kissed me? Or was this just an act? Or was the sweet Draco the act? The questions twirled around in my head and made my dizzy. I moved my free hand to my forehead to try and slow down the spinning. Instantly both Seamus and Madam Pomfrey reacted.

"Are you okay, 'Mione?" Seamus asked and took a hold of my shoulder.

"Do you need some water, Miss Granger?" Madam Pomfrey asked and I shook my head. Draco hadn't said anything. He wasn't concerned about me. So the sweet Draco had been the act. Or so I thought. But suddenly I felt his free hand squeeze my knee. That little gesture helped me more than anything else could have done and I felt fine again.

"I'm fine," I said and smiled at all of them. "Just got a little head rush. Please continue." I waved my free hand at Madam Pomfrey, who cleared her throat to answer Draco's question. Draco didn't remove his hand from my knee even though it was clear that Seamus was staring at it.

"This is the best idea I have had all day, Mister Malfoy," Madam Pomfrey said and claimed Draco's attention. "I am almost positive that it will work."

"And if it doesn't?" Draco prompted her.

"Then you'll just have to stay here a little while longer," was the only answer the nurse gave before she nodded at Seamus.

With one last look at Draco's hand on my knee Seamus drew his wand and repeated the spell. As soon as the words had left his lips I knew that it had worked. I lifted my hand and Draco's didn't follow it. My heart swelled with joy and I almost started laughing, but then I looked at Draco and remembered that now we had to be enemies once again. When his eyes met mine I knew that he was thinking the same thing. But there was nothing else for us to do.

_Give me your thoughts… __I crave you thoughts… without them this story is going to die…_

_Okay, to dramatic? What I really wanted to say was… REVIEW!_


	6. The Longing

**The Longing**

A week later I have come to realise that I'm in love with him. I am in love with Draco Malfoy. And it has been the hardest thing for me to admit it. But it has been even harder to just resume being Granger/Malfoy and Ferret/Mudblood. It has been so difficult to keep arguing with him like nothing ever happened between us. I don't know how he feels. I wish I knew though. Is he hurting like me? Or does he feel nothing for me besides the resentment that was always there? Then I remembered the way he had touched me, how he had held my hand, how he had squeezed my knee and how his eyes had penetrated mine. He couldn't have faked those things, could he? Sadly, with Draco Malfoy everything was possible. He sure still fought like he hated me, but from one time to another I thought I saw him looking at me with sorrow and possibly longing in his eyes. But then again I could have imagined those things. And now I was lost in thought again.

"'Mione," Seamus' voice sounded from above me, and I turned in my comfortable chair to look at his worried face.

"What is it?" I asked softly with a little smile.

Seamus crouched down in front of me and took my hand. I started to get a little worried. It was quite unlike him to do a thing like that.

"Tell me what's troubling you," his demand was gently spoken, and I instantly knew that he wanted to comfort me.

"Nothing is wrong, Seamus," I reassured him and patted the back of his hand. "I'm fine."

His eyes told me that he didn't buy that.

"Don't be so secretive," he said a little scolding. "I've seen the way you look at him all the time. Hell, I even saw how _he_ looked at _you_ when you were in that bloody Hospital Wing."

"I'm not sure that I know what you are talking about," I tried to divert the bullet, but Seamus caught me and fired a new one.

"Don't give me crap," he said and looked at me through narrow eyes. "I was there remember."

I sighed and gave in.

"It's nothing Seamus," I said but Seamus sent me a 'don't-you-dare-look' and my words got stuck.

"Are you a couple?" Merlin, he was blunt. I blinked a few times.

"No," I managed to say. "It's not like that."

"You're not lying?" he asked me, seeming not truly convinced.

"No, I'm not," I answered holding his gaze so he could see the truth in my eyes. Apparently Seamus was satisfied because he sighed deeply he looked happy all of a sudden.

"Fine," he said. "But there is something else going on then." I was about to deny it, but Seamus stopped me before I could even open my mouth. "And don't tell that there isn't, because it's quite obvious."

Okay, that shocked me a little. I thought I had been so discreet. But apparently not.

"Really?" I asked breathlessly.

"Well, perhaps it's just me who notices it since I know you so well and I was the only one who saw you two together on that bed," Seamus answered with a slight shrug. And thank God, was I relieved?

"I sort of have feelings for him," I whispered looking away from Seamus' eyes.

"I knew it," his was triumphant and caused my head to snap back up.

"You did?" I asked and he nodded. "Oh God."

"Don't be like that," he said and closed his arms around my shoulders. He held me close to him, and I felt safe again. "How does he feel about you?"

The question totally threw me off. He was supposed to yell at me for falling in love with my arch enemy.

"I don't know," I whispered with big eyes. "We haven't spoken since the Hospital. Not unless you call name-calling talking, anyway."

"You'll have to do something about that," Seamus said, and I almost choked on my tongue.

"Excuse me?" I said my eyes bigger than ever before. "Aren't you going to yell at me or something?"

"Who would I do such a thing?" he asked with true confusion. "You feel bad enough as it is. You don't need me to make it worse."

"But I have feeling for Draco Malfoy!" I wanted to shout it, but soon remembered that we weren't alone in the Common Room and managed to keep my voice hushed. "You are supposed to tell me that I'm a fool or something like that."

"But you're not a fool," Seamus just answered calmly. "You are perhaps the most unfoolish person I know. And you deserve to be happy. If you think Draco Malfoy is the one that can do that for you, then I trust your judgement."

I smiled at him and felt a relief go through my body.

"Thank you," I whispered.

Seamus seemed to blush a little and looked away. Awkwardly he patted my head as he got up and without looking at me he said, "You're welcome. Now, just get him alone at talk to him. Good night." Then he went to the boy's dormitory.

I stayed for a little while in my chair trying to think of some way to get Draco alone. But nothing my head cooked up seemed like it was going to work. So I decided on a bit more direct approach. But first I needed some sleep.

The next day I kept looking at Draco, and at one point I caught him looking at me as well. We were walking towards each other in the hall. When I looked up and saw him coming towards me, I couldn't help but smile at him. I suddenly remembered that we weren't friends, but to my surprise Draco returned the smile. I started to get a little worked up when his smile disappeared. He had had the same thoughts as I. When he was just about to pass by me I looked around the hall and found it empty besides from a couple eating each other's faces. Just as Draco was besides me I grabbed his arm and pulled him into an empty classroom. I closed the door behind us and turned to face his shocked face.

"What is it?" He asked me. He tried to sound tuff, I could hear that. But there was an edge to his voice, almost a longing in his words.

"Can we just talk for a few seconds?" I asked him and he nodded, making a little string of hair fall from his neatly gelled hair and lay on his forehead.

"Sure," he said.

And then it was the time for me to say something. I wanted to sound smart. I usually sounded smart. But now I was lost for words. Nothing came to mind. No words made their way past my trembling lips.

"Okay, I think I know what this is about," Draco finally said when I had been quiet for what felt like an eternity. "But you know that nothing more can happen."

His voice was full of sorrow and made my heart stop.

"Why not?" I asked him, even though I knew the answer.

"Hermione," he said my name with such a gentleness that it almost made me cry, "we have been enemies for the last seven years. And we are too different. It wouldn't work out."

"Those reasons are just silly," I stubbornly said. "The past shouldn't count for anything. And as for our differences then I'm sure we can work past that."

He sighed.

"Hermione please," he said and grabbed my hand. "I know there is something between us. Believe me, I know. But could you imagine telling all of our friends that we are involved?"

To be honest I couldn't. Ron and Harry would freak out. Ron probably wouldn't speak to me ever again.

"That doesn't matter," I said and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Perhaps we can work around our friends," he mused. "But what about our parents? Or more correctly what about _my_ parents?"

Of course I didn't have a reply. He was right after all. There was no way that his parents were going to approve of me. Even if we decided to go against our friends, we couldn't possibly defy his parents.

"Fine," I succumbed to his logic. "Fine, you're right. We can't go any further than what happened in the Hospital Wing."

My head hang low when I spoke those words. But Draco grabbed my chin and lifted my head. His eyes were big and glassy when he looked at me.

"That's not true," he whispered softly. "There is one more thing that can happen."

Then he slowly leaned down, holding my eyes with his own and still with my chin in his hand. When his face was an inch from mine he closed his eyes. I followed him. Then his lips where on mine, gently pressing against me. I felt a warmth spread all the way through me as his kiss deepened and his tongue entered my mouth. Slowly my tongue began dancing with his. He placed his hands on my back and pulled my closer. The kiss intensified and became more passionate than everything I have ever felt before. All of a sudden it was over. Draco pulled away from my, looked down at me with hurting eyes and without another word he left me alone in the empty room.

The door closed behind him and I broke out in tears. The kiss had been perfect just how I had imagined it. But the reason behind it was awful. He had kissed me knowing that nothing more would ever happen. And that was really not the kind of kiss that I wanted. I left the room after I had dried my eyes. I still had classes to go to, but I was in no mood for learning. I know crazy right? But it's the truth. Instead I went to my dormitory and lay down on my bed. I wanted to cry again but I couldn't do it. My head kept thinking of ways to get around his parents, his stubborn Muggle-hating parents.

A ticking noise brought me back to reality. I sat up and looked around in the room, trying to figure out where the sound came from. I finally located it to my window where a big horn owl was sitting and tabbing its beak against the glass. With a frown I walked to the window to let in the owl. It flew into the room, sat on the desk and waited for me to untie the letter from its leg. As soon as it was done the owl spread its wings and left. The letter was nothing more than a short message. My heart fluttered when I saw the signature in the bottom, "Draco Malfoy". It almost made me laugh. As if I knew any other Draco. But I didn't. I just read the letter.

_Hermione,_

_I'm sorry about what I did. It wasn't fair to you or to me, to just kiss you knowing that things could never change. But I won't say that I regret it. I only regret that we can't do it again._

_Draco Malfoy_

By the time I was done reading I was crying again ant d the letter was stained with my tears. I felt exactly like him. I longed so badly for another kiss that the pain was almost physical. Clinging to the letter I laid down on the bed again and fell asleep.


	7. The Confessions

**The Confessions**

The next couple of mornings it was hard to get out of bed. All I really wanted to do was bury myself under the sheets and never emerge again. It made it even worse that neither Harry nor Ron were there to cheer me up. Sure Seamus, Luna and Ginny tried but nothing makes me feel better than my two best friends. I desperately wanted to write to them, but I knew that they were busy. And really what could I say? Hey guys will you please just say something funny because I'm in love with Draco Malfoy but he doesn't want me? Er sorry, no good. So the fourth morning after he had turned me down it was really tempting to just stay put. And since it was Saturday I slept in a little longer than I normally would.

Just half an hour before breakfast ended, I finally decided to get up and get dressed. I felt no need to put on nice looking clothes. Instead I ended up in some loose jeans a small tank top and a big, comfy sweatshirt. I didn't even feel like dragging a brush through my bushy hair. I just piled it on the top of my head in a little bun. When a few stray curls fell to my face I didn't pick them up. I just let them hang. Slowly I put on a little mascara and looked at myself in my mirror. I was a mess. There was nothing else to say. My brown eyes looked like all the trouble in the world was weighing me down. The corners of my mouth were hanging slightly downward. In my own eyes I looked like the saddest girl alive.

'_How in Hell did this happen to me?' _I asked myself as I studied my features intently. _'I am supposed to be the smartest witch of my age. How could I fall in love with someone I knew wasn't right for me? But even worse, how can I let it affect me like this?'_

I shook my head at my own stupidity.

'_Really Hermione,' _I scolded myself. _'You should know better. So he doesn't want you. Get over yourself.'_

As I tried to convince myself that I was fine and that I was bothering me at all, I suddenly realized _why_ he was so hard to get over. It wasn't because he didn't _want_ me. On the contrary he _did_ want me. He just couldn't have me. A hand flew to my chest and grabbed at my sweatshirt above my heart.

Still with my hand grabbing at my sweatshirt I ran to my little desk and pulled out the top drawer. I searched around a little till I found what I was looking for. The little note from Draco. Carefully I read the two last lines again and again till I was certain that my theory was right.

'_But I won't say that I regret it. I only regret that we can't do it again.'_

And then I knew. He wanted me. Or at least he wanted to kiss me again. But we weren't together because his family would never allow it. The realisation of this fact made my day even darker. I felt like Juliet and Draco was my Romeo. I know cliché, but try to put yourself in my shoes. I am in love with a man I can't have because of his family. The only thing that is different from us and the play by Shakespeare is that my parents probably wouldn't have a problem with Draco. Of course all of my friends would, so that should make up for that.

Suddenly my knees gave away under me and I fell to the floor. Everything just seemed so hopeless. I couldn't get up the next 5 minutes, but finally my willpower, and my growling stomach, defeated my already defeated and bruised heart. Slowly I got to my feet and I went to the Great Hall for breakfast. I walked as if I was under some sort of spell. I can hardly remember how I got there, where I sat down or what I ate. I only truly remember one thing. Draco Malfoy was looking at me all the while I was eating.

When I had sat down and pilled some food on the plate in front of me I raised my head and searched the Slytherin table as I had done during every other meal. Usually I never found him, the blonde haired man I was always looking for. But this morning he was there. And he was looking straight at me.

I almost choked on my pumpkin juice. His eyes were staring intently at me, he didn't blink and he didn't look away as I returned his stare. But it wasn't his stare that made my stomach turn and my toes curl. It was his face. His tormented face was devastated. There were dark circles around his eyes, his cheeks were hollow and his skin was paler than ever before. I wondered if he had eaten at all. But even when his face was starved it was like he was eating me with the fire in his grey eyes. I ate my breakfast without looking away from him more than a second, and he did the same. To this day I am surprised that nobody interrupted us or came in our way. But it was like we were in our own little bubble that only contained the both of us. Even after I had finished eating and the Hall was emptying I kept seated and held his gaze.

Then the staring became too much for me. That and the realisation that we wanted each other made my fragile heart swell and almost burst. I felt wetness in the corner of my eyes. I saw the pain in my heart reflected in his features and I couldn't take it anymore. Quickly I rose and started running towards the door. The weather was nice outside and the Great Hall was empty, so when I heard steps behind me closing in on me, I knew it was Draco. I sped up unable to face him in my current state. But I had nowhere to run, his legs were longer than mine and he was in much better shape. I entered a little courtyard and realized that I had nowhere else to go than back. I felt his eyes piercing into my back and knew that 'back' was not an option. I had to face him now. Slowly I turned and met his wild silver eyes.

"Hermione," he whispered and took a step towards me. I backed up a little and he stopped dead in his track with a hand held out towards me. The longing in his face sent an awl through my heart. "Hermione," he said again and the longing etched his raw, desperate voice.

"Draco I," I started saying but in three long steps his was towering over with me with a slim finger pressed against my lips.

"I know," he whispered and his breath washed over my face. I closed my eyes and dwelled in the perfect and painful moment. Slowly his finger left my lips to trace my cheekbone and rest just below my left ear.

"We shouldn't," I managed to press past the lump in my throat.

"I know," he said again. Gently his other hand went to the clumsy bun of hair on my head and released a waterfall of curls. He sighed deeply and buried both his hands in my hair. He clawed through my hair and pulled my head slightly back.

"Open your eyes," his demand was soft but still I couldn't ignore it. I opened my eyes and met his instantly.

"Hermione," he whispered and my knees shook under me. I loved the way he said my name. It felt private somehow… and a little erotic.

"Draco," I answered and tried to make him feel as I did when he said my name. I think I was successful. He smiled a little smile and I felt a tremble go through him. His one hand suddenly left my hair and travelled south till it landed on the small of my back. He gently pulled me closer to him and pressed my body against his.

"We shouldn't" he repeated my words, but neither of us moved away from the other. He searched my eyes for something I didn't know what was.

"Then why are we still here?" I couldn't keep the question from falling from my tongue. He sighed again but didn't release me.

"I don't know," he answered. "Because we can't help ourselves."

I pressed my small hands against his chest to find comfort in his muscular arms. He understood the hint and pulled my head to his heart and wrapped me in an iron grip.

"Is that reason enough to do it?" I whispered into his shirt and I felt how he placed his cheek on the top of my head.

"It should be," was his answer.

I sighed and he sensed my unease.

"I know that nothing is as simple as that," he tried to console me. "I'm just saying that it should be like that. Perhaps we just have to take a chance and see what happens."

At that I tore myself from his arms and searched his face for a proof that he was just playing with me. But all I found was sincerity.

"You're serious?" I breathed in disbelief. At that his face became hurt once again and that was all the answer I needed.

"Don't you want to try?" he said and the pain in voice made my heart ache.

I almost ran to him and threw my arms around his neck drawing his head to my chest. He fell to the ground and pulled my with him till I was sitting with him like a mother would be sitting with her child. Only there wasn't anything motherly about our embrace. His breath was heavy and his arms were clamped around my tiny waist. I stroked his hair and occasionally kissed it.

"Of course I do," I whispered happily. Then he started laughing. Not mocking like he usually did, but a genuine and beautiful laugh that warmed me to the core.

"You don't know happy that makes me," he sighed.

"Oh, but I know," I answered, took a hold of his chin and forced his face towards mine.

The gleam in his eyes made me snap to catch my breath, but before I could register anything else his lips had claimed mine. The kiss was hungry and needy, but still deep and emotional. His tongue invaded my mouth and twirled around my own. His hands held my hips in place and his nails dug into my flesh. I moaned into his mouth making his tongue craving even more. When we finally drew apart my lips were sore and I was breathing heavily but I still felt like I was floating. Looking into Draco's eyes I knew that he felt the same way.

"You don't know how hard it has been for me to deny myself your company," he confessed. But I knew exactly how hard it was.

"You weren't the only one being without something they wanted," I pointed out and he laughed a little embarrassed laugh.

"Right," he laughed and smiled widely at me. "I guess you would know."

I stroked his cheek with my thumb.

"Have you eaten at all?" I asked him and he shook his head.

"Not really," he answered. "It was too hard."

I nodded. I knew what he meant.

"To me it was hard just to get out of bed," I said.

"Me too," he said and smiled. I returned the smile still with my hand on his cheek.

"So, how is this going to work?" I asked and could have cursed myself. Why did I do that? I ruined the moment with my damn analytic mind. So much for being clever. I groaned at my own stupidity and Draco laughed.

"What's the matter Granger?" he asked, but he said my last name with the same devotion as he said my first name. "This isn't good enough for you?" He smiled mischievously at me and I playfully hit his upper arm.

"Cut it out," I laughed. "You know what I mean."

He sighed, released my hips and tried to be more serious.

"I know what you mean," he said. "And I honestly don't know. Clearly we can't tell our friends about us." I nodded. That was too true. "So I guess we will have to keep it a secret." I frowned a little but couldn't deny the truth in his words.

"I guess so," I surrendered. "Can we do that?"

He cocked his head and looked questioningly at me.

"I mean," I specified "can we be together when we are alone and fight when everyone else is around. Will we be able to do that?"

He shrugged and just said, "We have to. 'Cause I'm not letting you go again."

_I really want to thank all of my reviewers. You are making it a million times easier to write this story. So keep the reviews coming!_

_Also thank you to all my readers, it's nice to know that someone wants to read the things I write._

_THANK YOU!_


	8. The Feelings

**The Feelings**

I smiled happily at him. Who would have thought that Draco Malfoy would make me the happiest woman alive? Not me, that's for sure!

"I like that," I said and ran my hands through his hair.

He smiled back at me while he made a light finger fly over my thigh. The touch sent sparks all through my already trembling body. I couldn't suppress a little moan. When the sound of pleasure left my lips I saw the desire flame in Draco's eyes and a little, crooked smile appeared on his thin lips. He kept on moving his finger along my thigh, but this time the finger came up higher and higher with each stroke. When I moaned once more, the desire in his eyes was burning me up. Suddenly his finger left my thigh and his lips were upon mine.

The hunger with which he kissed me almost sucked life out of me. I felt consumed in the feeling of his lips pressing onto mine and his tongue running over my lips, teeth and tongue. I felt his hands grab my sweatshirt and begin to pull it up. Something in the back of my mind screamed to me that I should stop him, but the pleasure was too dominant and it drowned out sense and sanity. I felt frustrated when the shirt passed my head and broke of our kiss. But I didn't have long to think about it before Draco's lips returned. His hands held onto my waist and pressed my body against his. My breasts were pushed hard against his chest and it felt strangely good. Whenever Ron and I had gotten rough like this I almost felt strangled. But with Draco I felt safe and hungry for more. All of a sudden Draco's hands wandered under my tank top and I regained my sense when his fingers touched the sensitive skin on my stomach. I drew my head away from him fighting for my breath. When I saw his eyes he was clearly confused.

"What?" he asked me breathlessly. His lips were red and swollen from our kisses. "Is there something wrong?"

"No," I answered and could have bit of my tongue when Draco's eyes grew even more confused. "Yes." I quickly said and he shook his head. "It's complicated."

"I can hear that," Draco said trying to make it sound like a joke, but I sensed his irritation.

"I just think it is going too fast," I blurted out and Draco sighed.

"How can it be too fast?" he asked. "We have been dancing around this since we were 11 and had our first argument."

"Perhaps," I answered hesitantly. "But still."

He sighed and shook his head again.

"I'm sorry," I quickly said, afraid that I had somehow upset him.

"Don't apologize, Hermione," he said and grabbed my hand. "You haven't done anything wrong. I just got carried away." He blushed. "Too far away."

Now I was the confused one.

"What do you mean?" I asked him, making him blush even deeper red. It was quite endearing really.

"Come on Hermione," he just said avoiding my eyes. I looked quizzically at his face but found no answer there. Then I let my eyes roam over his body. And I knew what he meant. The front of his pants was slightly bulging. It's not like I had never seen that happening before, really my two best friends are guys, but somehow this time it made me nervous and flushed.

"Oh," I couldn't hold back the little sound and strangely enough Draco was able to blush even harder.

"So perhaps I should be the one apologizing?" he almost whispered. I laughed a shaky laugh, grabbed his hands with one hand and his chin with the other, turning his head towards mine.

"Why don't we just call it even?" I asked him and watched the blush fade a little.

"Great," he grinned.

We were quiet for a little while and then the nosy part of me took control.

"Does that happen a lot?" I asked. The redness in my cheeks made it clear to him what I was referring to.

"That depends on how much would be a lot," he said and his confident smile was back. The tables had turned and I was the embarrassed one.

"Well, is it something like once a day?" I asked, releasing his hands and his chin and trying not to look at his face. Instead my eyes settled on the wonderful view that was his muscular chest.

He laughed but not in a condescending way. More like a kind teasing.

"No, it's not that often." He answered.

"Okay," I said and was too embarrassed to try and pinpoint it further. "Then, what makes it... you know."

I simply couldn't find the words. I couldn't say it and it made Draco laugh again.

"Always the nosy one, aren't you?" he laughed and I blushed. "Well, that is also relative. Sometimes nothing at all can make it hard." I swallowed a lump at those words and a warmth spread all over my flushed body. I couldn't believe that I was talking about things like that with Draco Malfoy. "At times like that just a glimpse of a bare thigh or a touch of a hand can do the trick. But other times it takes a little more."

I pressed my eyes shut, still trying to fathom that I was actually having this conversation with him.

"Hermione please," he laughed and cupped my cheeks in his hands. "Who's the shy one now?"

"That would be me," I answered without opening my eyes.

When Draco firmly pressed his lips against mine my eyes sprang open. He was watching me. He pulled away with a wide grin.

"You are so cute," he whispered and stroked my hair away from my face. His sparkly diamond eyes looked deep into mine and he leaned forward to press a soft kiss against my nose.

"Yeah yeah," I said with a shy laugh.

He watched me with searching eyes and I felt myself blush yet again.

"Don't look at me like that!" I finally said when I couldn't take it any longer.

"Like what?" he asked me, grinning.

"I don't know!" I said. "Like you just did. As if I have some secret you would kill to know."

"Perhaps you do," he said cryptically.

"I don't think so," I answered.

"You never know," he laughed and stood up. I followed him with my eyes but didn't move until he offered me a hand. I grabbed it and he pulled me to my feet. He didn't release my hand.

"What now?" I asked him. "We were fine here, weren't we?"

"Oh, we were," he said. "But pretty soon it will be flooded with students going to lunch."

"Shit!" I said and looked at my watch, my 17th birthday present from my parents. "You are right."

"As always," he joked and continued grinning.

"So what is the plan?" I asked him, deciding not comment what he had just said.

"Well, we go to lunch," he started "and then we meet up somewhere. Where do you want to meet me, my fair lady?"

I almost giggled until I remembered that I was Hermione Granger. Hermione Granger doesn't giggle, only foolish, lovesick girls do that. And that was _so_ not me.

"How about..." I thought about it a little "I don't know... I can't think of somewhere where we won't get caught."

"I know it's hard." Draco seconded. "How about the Prefect's bathroom?"

I laughed.

"You want to be together in the bathroom?" I asked him.

"Okay, it may not be ideal," he admitted. "But it's all I've got."

"Then I'll take it," I said and kissed his cheek. "Just as long as I can be with you."

He squeezed my hands tightly before he dropped them like they were burning him. I was stunned at his sudden action until I heard the noises as well. Someone was coming. Perhaps even more than one.

Draco winked at me before he loudly said, "Watch were you are going Mudblood!"

I caught on immediately.

"You don't get to tell me what to do, Pureblood bastard!" I hissed at him. "I will go wherever I please."

"You do that Granger," he said and the contempt in his voice almost had me fooled as two fourth years walked into our courtyard "and it will be the last thing you do. Consider yourself warned. No wait that wasn't a warning. It was a promise."

"Then I guess you will get a new reputation," I retorted. "Besides being obnoxious, annoying, arrogant and a dick you will also be the guy who can't keep a promise. 'Cause there is no way you are going to harm me before I get to you."

With those words I winked back at him and then walked past him with my nose almost in the skies.

I went straight to the Great Hall for lunch. Ginny and Seamus was already there and had started eating. I sat down next to Ginny and smiled widely at both of them.

"Hey you guys," I said and grabbed a plate for myself.

Ginny and Seamus both looked at me with big stunned eyes.

"What?" I asked them, totally confused.

"Where is the gloomy Hermione we have endured the last couple of days?" Ginny asked me.

Of course, I suddenly remembered that when they last saw me I was moping and sad. Well, that was very different from how I was feeling now.

"She decided to call it quits," I answered and took a banana and a piece of bread. "I hope you can live with the joyful Hermione from now on?"

"Live with her?!" Ginny said with a wide smile. "Are you kidding me? I could kiss her! It's good to have you back."

I smiled warmly at her and turned my attention towards Seamus. He was also smiling but his smile was a knowing one. He knew what had made my mood change so drastically. I returned his smile and focused on my lunch.

It was hard to concentrate on Ginny's enthusiastic chatter and my food when I knew that Draco was close by and probably watching me. I wouldn't know about the last part though, as I was sitting with my back against the Slytherin table. Finally lunch was over. I dropped my knife loudly and stretched with a yarn.

"I'm feeling a little drowsy," I lied and tried to sound convincing. "I think I'll go to the dormitory and read a book before taking a short nap."

I rose, hoping that my excuse was good enough. When I looked at Ginny, I knew that I hadn't really fooled her. Seamus saw the same as I and stepped in.

"You actually look quite tired," he said. "I think a nap is just the right thing for you. We'll see you later."

I mouthed a silent_ 'thank you'_ to him when Ginny wasn't looking and then left the Great Hall. As soon as I was out I made my way to the Prefect's bathroom. Luckily I was Head Girl and had the password for the portrait which was '_pineapple breath' _this month.

When I entered the luxurious bathroom, Draco was standing in the middle of the floor with his arms spread wide for me. I ran to him and flung my hands around his neck bringing my lips to his for a long, loving kiss.

"Have you been waiting long?" I asked him and he shook his head.

"I left the Hall just as you got up," he answered. "What did you tell your friends?"

He had both his hands in my hair again and my hands were resting on his hips.

"I told them that I was a little sleepy and went to my bed to read for a while before taking a nap," I answered.

"That does sound like something you would do," Draco said.

"What did you tell your friends?" I asked him and saw his smile disappear.

"My 'friends' don't really care what I do anymore," he said. "I can come and go as I please."

"I'm sorry," I whispered and pressed my head to his chest, hoping to comfort him. His strong arms went around my shoulders and held me even closer. He smelled of cinnamon, I realized.

"It doesn't matter," he said, but I heard how it troubled him. "I have you now. And that is even better than any friend."

The sincerity was eminent in the last words and made me press a kiss against his clothed chest. I heard his sharp intake of breath and liked it. Somehow it excited me, to know that _I_ excited _him_. I kissed him again and got the same reaction. One more kiss and he almost moaned as I had done earlier. Another kiss and there was a definite moan. One more and he pushed me away.

"What's wrong?" I said as I looked deep into his eyes.

"I thought you wanted to go slower," he said with a wicked smile.

"I do but..."

He cut me off.

"No buts," he said. "We are going to take this slow and not suddenly get carried away. I don't want any of us to regret anything."

"So if I said I wanted to have sex with you right now, here on the floor..." Okay, where did that come from? Just an hour ago I was shy as an abandoned kitten, but now I was, what? A sexy vixen? Draco laughed a husky, sexy, low laugh, sending shills and shivers through my entire body.

"I would consider it, I certainly would," he said and the truth shone in his eyes, taking my breath away. In that moment he had me so turned on that I would gladly have ripped my clothes off if asked me. "But I would say no, even though I know I would want to say yes."

I couldn't speak. Could only look at the wonderful, sexy man standing before me. How was it possible for him to have me turned on and wordless with only a laugh and a few words? There was no answer only the truth of it. Yep, there was no denying it. I was in love with Draco Malfoy. Both with him as a person and with his eminent body.

_So, I have gotten this review saying that Draco is too OOC. To that I only have one thing to say: you are aware that this story takes place after the Second Wizarding War, right? That means that Draco has changed sides and in my mind he had changed for the better.__ He has come to realize some things about himself that he didn't like and he has made an effort to change them. So to me he isn't out of character. He is just changed, more mature and adult._

_ANYHOW, reviews are always appreciated. So click the green button and let the thoughts flow from one mind to another..._


	9. The Exploration

**The Exploration**

"Hermione, you are looking all funny at me," Draco said and tore me from my fantasies of him naked. I think I blushed.

"Sorry Draco," I apologized and wrapped my arms around him once more. He felt a little stiff but relaxed when his arms enclosed me. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"It's quite alright," he said with a low chuckle I could feel through his shirt. "I actually liked it."

"I bet you did," I murmured and made Draco laugh even louder.

"Really, what were you thinking?" he said as he released me, sat down and pulled me onto his lap. "You looked like you were ready to eat me."

"Let's not talk about that," I avoided both his question and his eyes.

"Fine," Draco laughed and placed his cheek on my shoulder. He sighed. "This feels so surreal."

"I know," I whispered. "Just two weeks ago we were enemies."

"Yeah," Draco laughed at the memory. "Merlin, we were immature weren't we?"

"You could say that again," I joined in on his laughter.

"I never would have imagined that Hermione Granger would be the one to make me happy."

The comment hung unanswered in the room. I didn't say anything. What was there to say? He had just told me that I made him happy. And we had only been together for a couple of hours. Of course there had been something between us for little more than a week. That made me remember something Draco had said earlier. _'We have been dancing around this since we were 11'_. Did he mean that there had been something between us already then?

"You are thinking again," Draco's remark was dry.

"I have to think," I replied without even thinking about it. "It is impossible for the brain ever to stop thinking." Then I remembered who I was with and I could have slapped myself. This was the kind of reply I usually gave Ron. But I couldn't say stuff like that to Draco, could I?

"Point taken," was his only remark. "Now tell me what you were thinking about." His head left my shoulder and he turned my face to look at him.

"I was just remembering something you said earlier today."

"Did I say something good or bad?" his eyes were serious and I thought I saw a hint of worry in there.

"That was what I was trying to figure out," I answer and gave him a reassuring smile. "You said that there had been something between us since we were 11. Or at least I think that's what you meant."

"That was what I meant," he answered and brushed my cheek with his hand. "Don't you think so?"

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. "I mean, we were fighting all the time. We have never exactly been friends."

"I know that," he said. "But couldn't all our fights just have been suppressed adoration?"

When you thought about it, it certainly was possible. How else could we explain how fast we had connected in the Hospital Wing? It had taken us what – an hour? – and then there had been the first spark between us. How could that be possible unless there were already some feelings hidden deep down?

"I think you are right," I answered and made him smile.

"Hermione Granger just said that I was right? Now I can die a happy man."

"Don't start with that," I tried to be serious but his melodramatic appearance almost started a laughing fit.

"I won't," he promised and pressed a soft kiss against my nose.

Something suddenly snapped inside of me. A need for his lips against mine flared in my stomach and I couldn't find a way to deny it. I threw my arms around his neck, grabbed his hair and pulled his head towards mine until our lips met. It was like I had a fever that only Draco's lips could extinguish. My lips claimed his as sure as my fingers claimed his hair. His tongue snaked out of his mouth and ran over my lips and my teeth before it entered my mouth. At first it moved about with no goal, trying to taste every part of my hungry mouth. Finally it settled on my own tongue and I tasted him once again, a taste that I was sure I would never tire of. He drew back without warning leaving me gasping for air and him doing the same.

"What was that?" he breathed.

"You didn't like it?" I asked nervously.

"I sure did," he said with a sly smile. "But you could have given me some warning."

"Sorry, there wasn't any time for that," I said, returning his smile. "I had a crave."

"I could feel that. Merlin, your lips are wonderful."

And curse me if I didn't start blushing again. Really, what was wrong with me? Whenever he complimented me or even looked at me in a specific adoring way my cheeks would start heating up. I cleared my throat loudly and looked away once again. Draco immediately started laughing.

"Hermione really," he laughed and turned my head again. "Why do you blush so much? Surely I haven't told you anything that Weasel hasn't already said to you."

"Ronald isn't really the most vocal guy," I almost whispered.

"Then what did you do when you were together?" Draco asked with raised eyebrows.

"We bickered a lot," I answered a little ashamed. "And we kissed." There came the damn blush again. Merlin's pointed hat, I couldn't even say kiss without sinking into the ground below.

"You kissed?" Draco asked still with raised eyebrows. "Nothing more?"

I shook my head.

"Then you're a…" Draco didn't finish his sentence but I knew what he was thinking. I half expected him to shove me away with the way he was looking at me. So he knew that I was a virgin. And I very well knew that he wasn't anywhere _near_ a virgin.

"Yes Draco," I sighed and left his lap.

He remained seated on the bathroom floor and watched me pace up and down.

"Yes, Malfoy I'm a virgin," I said and when the words left my mouth I felt panic rise in my chest. "I'm a virgin! And so what? Is it really that bad? Just because I'm a virgin it doesn't mean that I'm a prude or anything. I know that you are… experienced but still…"

I was rambling and I knew it. But I couldn't reason with myself. I was certain that I was losing Draco because of this one little thing. And it was even a little thing that could be changed very easily. But the question remained: was I willing to change it just to keep Draco? My frantic thoughts stopped when a pair of strong arms came from behind and wrapped around my waist.

"Shh," Draco's calming voice sounded in my ear. "I don't care."

I was certain that I was imagining those words. But I very well couldn't imagine his arms around me, could I?

"You don't care?" I managed to say through the sobs emerging from my chest. "You really don't care?"

"Of course I don't," he assured me. I felt myself relax and lean into his embrace. "Actually I am a little upset that you think so little of me."

Somehow he had turned this thing to be about himself.

"What else was I to think?" I asked him leaning my head against his collarbone. "You looked at me like I had plague or something."

"I'm sorry about that," he whispered into my hair and kissed it. "I was merely thinking about what you said earlier."

"What did I say?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"You said something about having sex right here on the floor," he said and I remembered at once.

"Oh, that."

"Yes that. I just couldn't believe that you could have said a thing like that if you were a virgin. And then I came to think about what you were expecting from me."

I could hear the concern in his voice and I turned around in his arms to look at him. He looked worried.

"What I was expecting from you?" I urged him on with a little smile.

"If you were expecting me to be your first," he whispered and his gray eyes swam with unease.

I cupped his face with both my hands and looked him deep in the eyes.

"I wasn't expecting anything when I said that," I told him. "I'm still not expecting anything. I just said that out of curiosity. Nothing more than that."

I smiled at him and he returned the smile a little hesitantly but at least it was genuine.

"So you haven't been thinking about…" he paused and drew a large breath. "About having sex… with me."

And the blush was back on again. I was dumb and couldn't say a word.

"So you _have_ thought about that," Draco laughed and the smug gleam in his eyes was back again.

"So what if I have?" I said both stunned and amused.

"Nothing, Hermione," he kept on laughing and pressed me against him, held me tight to his chest. I could hear his heart hammering and gently I laid a hand over the sound. I turned my face against his and he leaned down to kiss me on the lips.

"So you really don't mind?" I asked as he drew back.

"Of course not," he answered. "But do you mind that I am not a virgin?"

I thought a about it a little, but quickly came to a conclusion.

"No, I don't mind," I answered. "But only because I know that you can still blush. So you can't be all that corrupt." I laughed and so did he.

"Yes, I am still able to blush," he laughed and kissed me again. "Merlin's beard, I don't think anyone has ever made me laugh as much as you do."

"Then you are far overdue," I answered and kissed him.

"I think so too," he said against my lips. "So we are fine, right?"

"Of course we are," I answered and he smiled.

Then he sat down against a wall with his legs spread. I got the hint as soon as he reached for me. Slowly I sat down between his legs with my back against his chest. His arms went around me and landed on my stomach. Gently I placed my hands on top of his and our finger intertwined. Soon I felt his hot lips against my neck and I involuntarily moaned and spurred him on. I felt how my blood coursed through my body and seemed to settle on the spots he was kissing. He reached my ear which he gently bit down on. When he did so, my fingers clutched his and I moaned again, not believing that a bite could turn me on so. I felt his hot breath on my earlobe. It was suddenly replaced by his wet tongue. Then he blew on my wet ear making it cold and sending shivers all through my body. I couldn't suppress another moan. I heard him growl into my hair and suddenly felt his stiffness against the small of my back.

"Well," I said suddenly feeling daring. "I dare say that you want me."

"More than you know," he said and dug his fingers into my belly while he bit down on my ear once again. "But I think you want me too," he said when he heard me groan once again.

"I do," I whispered.

The words made him grind his pelvis against my back while he was still clawing on my stomach. I felt an animal like sound rip through my throat. No one had ever done that to me. Ron hadn't even let me see his bulge when it was still concealed in his pants. He was shy, I knew that. But when we were dating it annoyed the living crap out of me. Now I realised that not only was Draco more vocal than Ron had ever been. He was also far more physical. And I liked both a lot.

"Oh, Merlin," I groaned when he did it again.

"I know," he breathed in my ear. "But Merlin, we really should stop."

"Not yet," I whispered and guided his hands under my shirt until they touched my bare skin.

When his fingertips touched my stomach I felt it contract and I heard Draco breath sharply.

"Are you sure?" he asked me.

I wasn't sure what he was talking about. I only knew that I didn't want him to stop with anything he was doing. So I nodded and Draco groaned like I had done it before. His hands traced circles around my navel. He was still grinding against me and his breath became heavier and heavier as his fingers moved further and further up till one of them was suddenly cupping my breast. I hadn't expected that but I wasn't going to push him away. The touch felt like electricity going through my whole body. His hand kneaded my breast through my bra and nothing ever felt that wonderful before. I leaned my head back against the wall behind him and sighed. His lips brushed over my sensitive neck.

Suddenly the kissing stopped and his hand left my breast. I felt an emptiness that I really didn't like.

"Blast it," he cursed.

He still had his hands under my shirt but he had stopped kissing my neck and grinding against my back.

"What is it?" I asked, terrified that I had done something wrong.

"This is going too fast," he said and breathed heavily. "I shouldn't have done that."

"I wanted you to do it," I whispered, a little ashamed to admit it.

"I know you did. But I still shouldn't have done it."

"Why not?" I felt myself starting to get annoyed. I really hoped for his one sake that this wasn't because he didn't want to spoil a pure and innocent virgin.

"I don't want it to happen like this."

I frowned in confusion.

"I was this close to just turning you over and shag you right here on the floor. But that wouldn't be right. I need to be more careful in the future."

I turned my upper body slightly to better look at him. His face was flushed, but I knew it wasn't from embarrassment. It was from excitement. I ran a hand through his already messy hair.

"Thank you," was all I could say.

"For what?" he asked me.

"For thinking when I didn't," I answered and it made him smile before he kissed me.

"I thought you had to think," he teased me.

"Oh, I was thinking alright," I laughed. "I just wasn't thinking the right things."

"Well, then you are welcome."

_After the last chapter I got a review that said that Draco got excited too fast. Well, I beg to differ. Just think about it: he has wanted Hermione for Merlin knows how long. Now he suddenly has her – don't you think that his body would be fast to react? I certainly think so. So I hope that that clears things up._

_And by the way, I still want reviews to come flying! I just love reading them and they are such a wonderful motivation. I almost feel bad that I can't update a new chapter every day. It feels like I am letting you all down… but keep reviewing!_


	10. The Games

**The ****Games**

I laughed and was suddenly embarrassed. I felt my cheeks flair and I tried to hide it by looking at the floor. But of course I didn't fool Draco. I saw his hand grab my chin and turn my head upwards. I closed my eyes, and Draco chuckled. Then I felt his lips briefly upon mine. His gentle fingers brushed my cheeks and his breath caressed my face.

"So… what now?" I asked, still with my eyes closed tight.

I heard Draco laugh right next to my ear.

"Well, you could open your eyes," he said and I could almost imagine his sly smile.

I poked him hard in the stomach, but I kept my eyes shut. It wasn't really because I was still embarrassed. Now I was just doing it to annoy him. Okay, so we were dating, but you know what they say, "Old habits die hard." And teasing Draco Malfoy was definitely an old habit. Apparently I was the only one who stilled enjoyed our old games, because suddenly Draco's fingers dug into my sides and he started tickling me. My eyes flew open in shock. The first thing I saw was Draco's wide grin as he continued tickling me. My body was involuntarily trashing about and I was hysterically laughing. I tried to grab his hands and force him off me, but he turned us around faster than I thought possible. I was suddenly on my back and Draco was hovering over me, still tickling me like no tomorrow. Finally I couldn't take it anymore and I used my last resort. I begged.

"Please!" I laughed. "Please stop!"

Draco's grin widened, but he didn't stop.

"What's that I'm hearing?" he said. "Is Hermione Granger begging?"

I really didn't want to give him the satisfaction of begging again. But I saw no other alternative.

"Yes," I surrendered. "Yes, I'm begging you… please stop."

He laughed as he released me and got off me. It took me a few seconds before I was right again and before I could sit up.

"I'm going to get you for that," I threatened him. "Trust me."

My threat only made Draco laugh harder, so hard that he crumpled up with his hands pressed to his stomach.

"What?" I asked. "You don't believe me?"

His laugh slowed down a little. I saw little tears in the corners of his eyes.

"Normally I would be scared," he answered, out of breath. "But after seeing you so defenceless… really, you're not all that scary anymore."

And then he started laughing again. Rage started building within me, but it wasn't the usual rage I felt towards Draco. This rage was more good-natured. All I really felt like doing was show him how wrong he was.

"You may not find me scary anymore," I said in a low voice that made him cock his eyebrows at me "but you soon will again. I promise you that."

This time he didn't laugh, but his smile was still there.

"Fine," he said "I will be awaiting your revenge, my fair lady."

I smiled a little crooked smile, which I had realised intimidated many people, Ronald for one. But Draco clearly wasn't one of them. At least his face and his posture didn't change in any way.

"If we are done with the threats," Draco said innocently as if nothing had happened "we don't have long till someone will come looking for us. I would like to spend the time we have left kissing my girlfriend."

I was just about to comment on those words, but before I even had the chance Draco had jumped on me and knocked me to the floor, his lips locked with mine. His kiss was feverish and needy, but it suited me just well. But there was something I had to clear up before I lost all sense of judgement. I laid my hands on Draco's chest and gently pushed him away. His lips left mine and his eyes bore into mine with questions.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked with evident worry.

"Not at all," I answered and swiftly brushed a kiss against his swollen lips. "I was just wondering…"

"You always are," he said with a smile.

"Well, yes," I surrendered, returning his smile, "but this time it is concerning something different."

"Shoot," he said and sat up. I did the same.

"You called me your girlfriend," I said without thinking first. Merlin, I did that a lot when I was with Draco.

"I thought that that was what you were, Granger," Draco said with a slight frown.

I felt totally perplex. Somehow it had escaped my mind that he thought of us as boyfriend and girlfriend. I don't even know how _I_ thought of us. But those two words hadn't struck me till he said one of them.

"I…" I started but didn't know how to finish it.

I wanted to tell him that there was nothing I would rather be than his girlfriend. But the words wouldn't emerge from my lips. I watched his expression grow more and more hurt.

"Aren't we a couple?" he asked, and pain dripped from his every word.

"I don't know," I whispered truthfully. "Are we?"

"In my mind, yes we are!" he said fiercely and grabbed both my hands with his. He held them tight to his chest and his eyes burned into mine. "Don't you want to be my girlfriend?"

And that was all it took. The sincerity in his voice and his eyes cleared all doubts from my mind and made the annoying lump in my throat disappear.

"Yes!" I said and smiled widely. "Yes! Of course I'm your girlfriend!"

I freed my hands from his grip and took a hold of his face.

"Yes!" I repeated.

His expression went from pain to surprise to immense pleasure. His hands grabbed my waist and his lips claimed mine. We both laughed as we kissed and I was sure that his fingers would leave marks on my skin, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Only the person pressed against me mattered. And that was all that I would ever need. When we pulled apart we were both breathless and smiling.

"Merlin, you scared me!" Draco whispered. "I thought you were having second thoughts!"

"I'm so sorry about that," I whispered back while I ran my fingers from his cheeks to his neck to his collarbone. "I was just surprised and caught off guard."

"Then I'm sorry as well," he said. "I just really thought that we were on the same page."

"We certainly are now," I answered and kissed him.

Then we heard a noise outside the door. We quickly jumped away from each other as if the other one was on fire. The door opened and a Ravenclaw Prefect stepped into the bathroom. He stopped dead when he saw Draco and me standing quietly in the same room. I glanced at Draco, but he was as still as if he was petrified. I knew I had to do something.

"Oh, thank Merlin's beard," I exclaimed and threw my hands in the air. "You are just in time to save me."

I quickly stepped over to the bewildered boy and grabbed his arm.

"I am in dire need of a _real_ conversation," I said to the boy and smiled my most dazzling smile at him, which he weakly returned. "Could you please save me?"

The boy just nodded and let me from the bathroom, apparently forgetting why he was even there in the first place. I turned my head towards Draco just before the door closed behind us. He hadn't moved one inch, and I was a little afraid that something was wrong. But then he winked at me, just as the door closed. I felt at ease at once.

I learned that the Ravenclaw boy's name was Derrick. He was actually really sweet and if I didn't have Draco, Derrick would be just the guy I could have fallen for. Wow, was that strange to think about. I _had_ Draco Malfoy. He was _mine_ and _mine_ alone. Derrick walked me to the Great Hall where he kissed my hand before he left me. Yes, Derrick would have been just my type. He was handsome with sun-coloured hair, dark blue eyes and a square jaw. He was tall and muscular, but without being pumped. He was a real gentleman and he was a Ravenclaw and clearly very smart. But I hadn't fallen for Derrick. I was totally head over heels in love with Draco, the last guy on earth I would ever consider dating. But now we were a couple. And I didn't mind one little bit.

From the Great Hall I walked to the Gryffindor Common Room. As soon as the portrait of the Fat Lady closed behind me, a blur of red hair ran towards me and grabbed my arms. Ginny Weasley was shaking me aggressively and looking sternly at me.

"Where have you been?!" she hissed at me. "I have been out of my mind with worry! I went to check on you and you weren't there!"

It took me a little while to gather up my thoughts and focus on what it was that she was saying. Then I remembered why she would be worried. I had told Seamus and her that I had gone to bed to read and sleep. Of course Seamus knew that I wouldn't be anywhere near my bed. But Ginny didn't and Seamus obviously hadn't told her my secret.

"I'm sorry sweetie," I said as calmly as I could. "I decided to go to the library instead. I should have left a note."

"Don't lie to me, Hermione Granger," Ginny was still hissing. "Don't you think that I checked the library? Where were you?"

I sighed and knew that there was no fooling Ginny. Besides, I was no good at lying.

"I think we should sit down," I said. "And we should really be alone."

I took Ginny's hand and let her to my dormitory. We sat down together on my bed. Ginny was looking at me with big, confused eyes.

"What is it?" she asked more calmly but still clearly worried.

"It's quite a long story," I started.

"I still want to know," she said.

"And I still want to tell you everything. I'm no good at lying and especially not to you. You remember how depressed I have been these last few days?"

Ginny nodded.

"Of course I do," she answered.

"The reason _why _I was depressed was because… well, there is this guy…" I wasn't done speaking but Ginny shut me up with her happy scream and jumping on the bed.

"Oh my mighty Merlin!" she shrieked. "Hermione, you don't need to say another thing, I'm behind you 100%"

Of course I could have just accepted that and not told her anything more. But I simply couldn't do that.

"Ginny, it's not that simple," I protested, but Ginny just shook her head.

"Of course it is," she said. "You were with this boy, and that is all I need to know."

She got of the bed and was about to leave the room before I stopped her.

"Don't you want to know who he is?" I said desperately.

That made Ginny stop dead, turn towards me and jump onto the bed once more.

"How could I have forgotten about that," she said and slapped her own forehead. "Do tell!"

I took a deep breath to gather courage for what I was now about to tell her.

"It's Draco Malfoy."

Ginny's expression went from overjoyed to furious. She didn't say anything. She didn't do anything. She only got up and left the room, slamming the door shut behind her. I then knew that Ginny wasn't going to be as supporting as Seamus. But what was even worse was that this was only going to be a fraction of the reaction I could expect from Ron and Harry.

_Please review…_

10


	11. The Jealousy

**The Jealousy**

"Ginny, you can't stay mad at me forever," I said to her the next morning at breakfast. "Please!"

Ginny didn't answer me. She just gave me the evil eye and returned her attention to her toast. I sighed and turned to Seamus for help.

"Seamus, please say something," I pleaded with him.

"That won't help you," Ginny mumbled without looking at us.

"And why not?" Seamus asked with raised eyebrows.

"I'm not too happy with you either," she said, raised her head and stared at Seamus with blazing eyes. "I don't understand you, Seamus. How can you let her date that leech?"

Seamus opened his mouth to answer her, but I cut in before he got the chance to say what he wanted.

"_Let me_ date him?" I asked and stared angrily at Ginny. "He doesn't _let_ me do _anything_."

"You know what I mean," Ginny hissed and returned to stare at Seamus. "Well, answer me!"

"Really Ginny," Seamus sighed, "I don't let her. I just accept it."

"But how can you do that?" Ginny fired back. "You know him! You know what he has done and what he is capable of doing!"

"Yes, but I also know that he has changed."

My head snapped to look wonderingly at Seamus. He had never mentioned this when we had had our talk. But that wasn't what mattered most to me. It was more the fact that someone else saw the change in Draco and not just me. In a way it made me feel more confident of our relationship.

"Sure, he has changed," Ginny sneered. "I know that. But do you honestly think that he has changed towards her?" She flicked her fingers at me, but didn't look my way.

"Excuse me, I'm sitting right here!" I said.

"Butt out," Ginny said without looking away from Seamus.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "I was silly enough to think that this had something to do with me…"

"Yes, I believe he has changed completely!" Seamus answered Ginny's question. I could sense Seamus' irritation in his hushed words. "I saw him with her! I saw how he looked at her, and how he touched her!"

Ginny's eyebrows raised and her head tilted.

"What do you mean?" she whispered.

"I mean that I saw them when they were together in the Hospital Wing.," Seamus started explaining. "When I came in they were sitting close to each other. I have never seen Draco Malfoy that vulnerable. Not until later, that is, when Hermione had some sort of fit. Malfoy grabbed her knee and comforted her better than you or I could ever do."

Ginny's mouth was hanging slightly open and her face was one, large question mark.

"Is that why you trust him with her?" she asked him. "Because he is able to comfort her?"

Seamus sighed.

"Of course not," he said in a tone that almost suggested that Ginny was a moron. "I trust him with her because she is Hermione Granger. She is the brightest and cleverest person I know. And _she_ trusts him. Therefore I do the same. Besides, he makes her happy. I think she deserves a little happiness."

Seamus finished his speech and started eating again. Ginny just stared at him as her brain processed what he had told her, and I just wanted to hug him. That was the dearest thing I had ever heard him say.

"Okay Hermione," Ginny suddenly said as she turned in her seat to look at me. "I'm not angry anymore. Or, well, I'm still angry. But I trust you. You're my friend and I want you to be happy."

A wide smile dawned on my face and I raised and leaned over the table to hug her tightly. It was then that Derrick, the nice Ravenclaw Prefect, decided to come over.

"Hermione," he said softly and tapped me on my shoulder. "Are you busy?"

I released Ginny, sat back down and looked at Derrick.

"Not at all," I smiled at him and padded the empty seat besides me.

He smiled back at me and sat down.

"What can I help you with?" I asked.

Suddenly Derrick's cheeks reddened and a soft blush spread. His eyes fluttered from the table, to his hands and to his knees.

"What?" I softly asked him and took his hand.

"I just wanted to know if you would be interested in spending the day with me?" he asked me, slowly daring to look me in the eyes.

"Oh, Derrick I'm sorry," I said, and strangely enough I meant it. "I would really like that, but I already have other planes."

I couldn't help my eyes from wondering to Draco, where I found him staring intently at me. I quickly returned to look at Derrick, as Draco's stare kind of scared me.

"It's okay Hermione," he said and looked a little more confident. "Next time I just have to be faster."

He winked at me and smiled. I knew that I had to let him down once more.

"Derrick, you have to know something," I said and squeezed his hand. "I have a boyfriend."

The truth made his confidence falter.

"You do?" his voice was a little shaky. I nodded. "Who is he?"

"It doesn't madder," I quickly said. "He isn't at school anymore…"

Derrick's face lit up again and he smiled crookedly at me.

"Well, if he isn't here," he said, "then I'm not giving up."

He started to get up, but I grabbed on to his sleeve and he stopped halfway from his seat.

"Derrick, please," I whispered pleadingly.

"No, don't say anything Hermione," he said and freed himself from my grasp. "I know what you are thinking. But I also know that there is something between us, even though we only just met each other, and that you are just in denial."

With those words he bowed at me and walked away. My eyes fluttered to Draco, and what I saw there startled me beyond words. His eyes were still watching me, but there were hard and unyielding. His hands were balled into fists. As he watched me he knocked over his glass of pumpkin juice, got up and started walking out of the Hall. I felt fear grip my heart and I also got up and moved to follow him. But before I could move Ginny stopped me.

"Who was he?" she asked me, not noticing how I was anxiously looking at the door.

"That was Derrick, a Ravenclaw Prefect," I answered, still looking at the door, which Draco was now closing behind him.

"I liked him," Ginny noted. "Why didn't you fall in love with him?"

I sighed angrily.

"Not now Ginny," I said impatiently and left her wondering.

I almost ran out of the Hall, worried about Draco. When I had closed the door he was nowhere to be seen. And I didn't have a clue as to where he could be. Luckily I wasn't the brightest witch of my age for nothing. I pulled out my wand and muttered the tracking charm.

"SE-mi-ta-na Draco Malfoy."

When I had spoken the words a thin, silver line erupted from my wand and shot out in front of me. The line went around a corner and I followed it. It bent around yet another corner and then went behind a door. Tryingly I pulled on the door and found it unlocked. I opened it and entered an abandoned classroom that hadn't been used for years judging by the feet thick layer of dust that covered everything. Draco was standing in the middle of the room watching me as I closed the door and the line disappeared. His eyes were still hard, but they were also worried and hurt. I rushed to him and wanted to hug him, but he stepped away from me. My hands fell to my sides and I felt helpless.

"What's the matter?" I asked, not knowing what I had done wrong.

Draco watched me for what seemed like an eternity before he finally answered.

"What did Mister Prefect want?" he sneered, and suddenly I knew what was wrong. Draco was jealous.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so I just settled on defense mode.

"Why does that matter?" I asked him, crossing arms over my chest.

"Just answer me, Granger," Draco said, the coldness in his voice made me shiver.

"Nothing, Malfoy," I answered just as coldly. "Nothing that concerns you."

When I saw the flicker of hurt on his face I knew that I had went too far.

"I'm sorry," I apologized and bowed my head. "That was rude. I just felt… attacked."

I raised my head to meet Draco's eyes and saw that his look had softened. He spread his arms for me, and I almost ran into his hard, comforting grip. I buried my face in his shirt and once again noted the distinct smell of cinnamon on him.

"I should just have told you right away…" I started babbling but Draco hushed me.

"You don't have to explain," he said. "If anyone should apologize it should be me. I was way out of line. I just feel so… protective of you. And when I saw him talking to you I got really jealous. I'm sorry Hermione, can you forgive me?"

I leaned back a little to look him in the eyes.

"Of course I can," I whispered and smiled. "Come to think of it, I think I would have reacted the same way if it were you talking to some girl."

Draco laughed a flat, mocking laugh.

"Well, you are in luck 'cause that will never happen," he said with an acid voice.

"What do you mean?" I asked, locking my hands around his neck.

"None of the Slytherins want to talk to me because they consider me a traitor. And no one from the other Houses want to be caught anywhere near me because they see me as a snake."

"I don't," I said, and lay my heart in the two, small words. "I see _you_."

Draco smiled, bent down and kissed me sweetly.

"Have I ever told you, that you are perfect?" he breathed in my ear as he held me to his chest.

I trembled at his words and answered, "You have now." Before I brushed a kiss against the soft skin behind his ear.

Then he was quiet, but I sensed that there was something troubling him. I freed myself and held his hands.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Tell me."

He face was full of uncertainty.

"Please," I begged and he caved in.

"I still want to know," he whispered, and I knew what he was talking about.

I let go of his hands, stepped away from him and went to sit on the dusty desk. Draco followed me and sat on the chair by the desk. He looked at me with a frown and big, worried eyes.

"It's that bad, huh?" he asked me.

I had no clue as to what to answer. What do you say to that?

"Well," I hesitantly started "first of all he wanted to spend the day with me."

Draco flinched as if a knife had cut through him.

"First of all?" he said. "So it gets worse?"

"I told him," I said and ignored his words, "that I already had plans."

"Good," Draco commented and once again I ignored him.

"Then he said that the next time he would just have to be faster."

"What did you say to that?"

"What could I say? I told him about you."

"You did what?" Draco said with even bigger eyes. "You told him about _me_?"

"No, not you exactly," I quickly corrected myself. "I just told him that I had a boyfriend, and when he asked who he was, I told him that it didn't matter because he wasn't at school anymore."

I wasn't finished with my story, but the wide smile on Draco's face made me pause. He looked positively radiant with joy.

"What?" I asked with a little laugh.

"You told him, that you have a boyfriend?"

The question confused me and I failed to see, how that could make Draco so happy.

"O course I did," I answered. "Now, let me finish my story." Draco grew more serious but the smile didn't fade away. "After I said that my boyfriend wasn't at school, Derrick said that then he wouldn't give up." I sighed. "Then he went on to say, that there was a connection between us that I was denying…"

The words got caught in the back of my throat when Draco's hand collided with the desk. His face was ablaze with fury and rage as he got up and started pacing back and forth.

"He said that?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Yes," I whispered, suddenly fearing for Derrick.

"Then I should have done what I really wanted to when he was talking to you. I should have walked over there and beat him senseless."

His words made me jump from the desk and run to him. I grabbed him around the waist and looked up into his eyes. I couldn't recall a time when I last saw Draco that mad.

"No," I whispered and felt tears prick the back of my eyelids. "Don't do something like that. You'd get expelled."

Draco's chest heaved for breath and his nostrils were dilated. But as he looked down on me his face slowly softened.

"You don't want me to get expelled?" he said with the teasing tone I had come to almost love. "You know, there was once a time when the day I got expelled would me the happiest in your life."

"Not now," I answered. "Now the happiest days of my life are days spend with you."

Never before have I been so sappy, but it just really fitted the moment and it was oh so true.

"Oh, silly Granger," he whispered and pressed my head to his chest. "I know exactly how you feel." He kissed the top of my head. "But I still hate that Derrick guy."

"That's okay," I answered with a smile. "As long as you don't act on it. I'll take care of Derrick."

"The way you once took care of me?" Draco asked in a tone I couldn't decipher.

I drew back to watch his face. He was grinning slyly and stroking his left cheek. Of course, he was talking about the time I had hit him.

"Are you still on about that?" I laughed and removed his hand from his cheek to replace it with my own. "The way you talk about it you would think that I broke your cheekbone or something."

Draco laughed a short, genuine laugh.

"Well, something else got broken," he said with a smile. "My pride."

"If I recall correctly it didn't take you all that long to restore it."

"Perhaps not, but it hasn't been the same ever since."

Once again he bent down and kissed me full on the lips. I savored the soft touch of his lips that held more than I could begin to fathom. When he finally drew back we were panting heavily and giggling like I have never giggled before. He took my hand, kissed it and went to the door. He grabbed the doorknob before I knew what he was thinking about doing. I stopped dead with a look of terror on my face.

"Draco," I hissed and pulled him back. "What are you doing?"

"I want to walk the Halls with my girlfriend," he said innocently.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I asked him. "I thought we had talked about this."

Suddenly realization dawned on his face.

"Sorry," he whispered. "You're right. We can't do that."

He let go of my hand with a little sigh. He looked so broken that I took his hand again.

"It was a nice thought," I said. "But we just can't."

He smiled an apologizing smile which I returned.

"If it makes you feel any better," I said and stepped closer to him, "I told Ginny about us yesterday."

Draco's eyebrows almost hit his hairline.

"You did?" he asked. "How did she take it?"

"Not well," I said. "She ran from my dorm and refused to talk to me till this morning."

"I would never run from your dorm," he said with a naughty gleam in his eyes.

I playfully punched him in the stomach and we both laughed.

"How is she now?"

"She's talking to me again. And she has accepted it. Although she did say that she liked Derrick better."

First Draco's face showed anger, but then he noticed the smile on my face and started laughing. He laughed so hard that eventually he had to press a hand to his stomach.

"Hermione Granger," he said between laughs, "I swear you will be the death of me."

His laughs stopped and he looked me deep in the eyes.

"And there would be no better way to go."

The sincerity in his voice startled me. For a moment I was immobilized. When I finally regained control over my body I threw myself into Draco's embrace and kissed him hard. He smiled when I released him and blew me a little kiss before he opened the door and went outside. I waited for a few seconds before I peeked out the door. Draco was standing out there. And he was talking to another girl. I felt jealousy building in the pit of my stomach and slowly take over every fiber of my body. The emotion finally erupted when I heard the girl say, "You may be a traitor, but there is no finer traitor than you. My dorm is empty for the day…" and with those words she ran a polished finger over his upper arm, painting a very good picture of what she wanted to do in her abandoned dorm. I was just about to storm out the room and punch her in the face, when I heard Draco's laugh.

"What makes you think I'd want you, Daphne," he said harshly. "Besides, I have a girlfriend."

And right then I realized why Draco had been so happy to learn that I had called him my boyfriend in front of Derrick. There was simply no better feeling than what I was feeling right there. Well, perhaps except _being_ with Draco. No matter what I was in total bliss and as happy as never before.

_Sorry that I have kept you waiting for so long. Hopefully it was worth the wait._

_Please review and tell me what you are thinking._


	12. The Visit

**The Visit**

My heart was still fluttering violently when Daphne turned her back to Draco and walked away. I could have laughed when I saw the look on her face, her lips were pursed and she had her nose in the sky. She looked like she smelled something extremely foul while she tasted a sour lemon. And I was so close to cracking. Draco turned halfway towards me and winked at me, before he walked away. After he turned a corner I could hear the unmistakable sound of his laugh and I couldn't hold it in any longer. I laughed all the way to the Gryffindor Common Room. When I entered the room, still laughing, everyone turned to look at me. I instantly stopped laughing and felt a little blush. I bowed my head to escape all the curious glances and went to my dorm. When I was sitting on my bed I realized that I had absolutely no idea of what I was going to do for the rest of the day. There was still three hours till lunch, Ginny and Seamus weren't in the Common Room so I didn't know where they were, I had turned down Derrick and Draco had walked away.

I lay in silence for a little while trying to think of something to do. Finally I remembered a book I had laying around. I pulled it out of a drawer and lay back on the bed against my pillow to read. I was re-reading _'Les Miserables'_ by Victor Hugo. It was a personal favorite of mine. Most people didn't know it, but I was a hopeless romantic. And not many things get more romantic than the love Colette and Marius shared. I sighed deeply when I reached the part of the book where Marius and Colette met in her garden. Suddenly a sharp tap on my window brought me from my happy little bubble of romance. I looked up and expected to see the Draco's owl, but instead I saw Draco. I dropped the book to the floor and ran to open the window. Draco was hovering on his Nimbus 2001 outside my window, and when I opened the window he flew in.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as he gracefully landed on the floor. "More importantly, how do you know how to find my dorm?"

His confident smile didn't falter even though he blushed.

"I kind of followed you," he said and his smile widened.

"You did what?" I asked, but not really able to be mad at him.

"Well, I followed you when you thought I wasn't there," he said and walked closer to me. "Do you hate me know?"

There was a definite gleam in his gray eyes as he came closer still.

"Of course not," I replied and put my arms around his waist. "I think it's sweet."

"Just as sweet as the look on your face when you were reading that book there?" Draco asked, freed himself and picked up my fallen book.

"'_Les Miserables'_" he read aloud. "You are reading Victor Hugo?"

I blushed and suddenly found it a bit embarrassing.

"Yes," I mumbled, but my insecurity disappeared as soon as saw his smile. "You know it?"

"Of course I do!" he laughed. "I mean, I've never read it, but I've seen the play."

"You have?!" I asked, now with a big grin. "I've only read it but I really want to see the play!"

"You weren't really doing anything for Christmas, were you?" he asked and confused me with his sudden change of subject.

"Er," I said, "no, not really. I mean, I've decided to visit Harry and Teddy but that's it."

"Great," he said and flashed his white teeth at me. "You are now spending at least one night with me."

"What will we be doing?" I asked curiously.

"We are going to see _Les Miserables_," he said.

I knew he wasn't finished but I was just so happy that I threw myself at him, jumping up and locking my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. At first he was clearly stunned but after a few seconds he held me tight to him with both hands on my back.

"Do you mean it?" I whispered in his ear, too happy to say anything else.

"Absolutely," he whispered back and kissed my neck.

I sighed happily and was utterly content with my life. Before I knew Draco had started moving and gently laid us down on my bed. He drew back a little to watch my face before he brought his lips to meet mine. The kiss was sweet and slightly hesitant. My fingers curled in his hair and I tried to draw him even closer. Draco met my silent plea and deepened the kiss. His tongue entered my mouth and reached my own tongue. Without warning he had suddenly pulled away and gotten off the bed.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Shh," he said and motioned at the door with his head.

And then I heard what he was hearing. Someone was coming. My eyes widened in shock. There was no time for Draco to fly out of the room. The only thing we could do was hide him and his broom.

"Down here," I whispered and pointed under my bed.

Before he disappeared he smirked at me, and I couldn't help laughing a little. When his face was gone I jumped onto the bed, grabbed my book and pretended to read. When the door opened I glanced up from my book, hoping that I didn't look too flushed. Ginny was standing in the doorway leaning heavily against the door frame.

"You're reading?" she asked.

I nodded, not really trusting my own voice.

"Huh," Ginny said and entered the room. "I would have thought that you were with Malfoy."

I cocked my eyebrow in what I hoped was a confused way.

"Why would you think that?" I asked her innocently.

"Well, he is your boyfriend isn't he?" Ginny said and sat at the foot of my bed with crossed legs. "Besides you turned down that Derrick boy. You said you had plans. I expect that your plans weren't just to sit in your room and read."

"Actually it was," I said and glanced into the book. "I was with Draco right after breakfast and then I went here to read. I just read my favorite part of this book."

"Really?" Ginny asked and tilted her head. "So, that voice I just heard in here was what? You acting out the characters of your book?"

My face instantly lost all color, my heart sank and my mouth went dry.

"Er," was all I could say.

"I thought so," Ginny said, stood up again and looked around the room. "So, where did you stash him?"

"Don't strain your eyes Fire-head," Draco's voice sounded from under my bed as he got out. I'm right down here."

"Under the bed?" Ginny said and crossed her arms. "How original."

"It worked," Draco said grinning and then he sat down on my bed.

"Okay, smart-ass how did you find her?"

"I followed her, so she didn't betray her fellow Gryffindors or anything."

"Okay, then how did you get in here?"

"I flew."

And I sighed. They were sounding like children to me.

"Here's the deal fly-boy," Ginny said in the most bitchy-tone I have ever heard her use. "I don't like you so don't push your luck. I merely accept you because Hermione seem to trust you. Don't make me regret this."

With those words she spun around on her heel and left the dorm. I looked after her with big eyes and an open mouth.

"She really doesn't like me," Draco mumbled as we watched her leave.

"Nope, she doesn't," I answered. "But if you think she is bad, wait till we tell Ron and Harry. Or your parents."

Draco winced at the last part.

"Yeah, that would be a day to remember," he mumbled as he reached behind me and laid his arm around my shoulders. He tugged me against his side and I happily laid my head against his shoulder.

"This really is a mess," he sighed and kissed my hair.

"Meaning?" I asked a little worried at his words.

"Meaning that your friends hate me, my friends hate me and my parents will hate us," Draco answered mater-of-factly and I could only agree with him.

"Sure," I said, "but we knew about those problems before we did anything."

"I know," Draco sighed. "And I'm not regretting anything." He quickly added. "I just wish that it wasn't this hard. I wish that we didn't have to hide."

"We just need to wait this out," I said not knowing what else to say. "Ginny will come around and it's not like Ron and Harry are going to hate me forever, we are practically family. The hard part is going to be your parents."

"Too true," Draco said. "Isn't there something we can do about them? Don't you know some sort of spell to change them?"

"I hope you are kidding, Draco," I scolded him. "Even if I did know a spell like that I would never use it. On anybody."

"I know, I know," he laughed. "I was only joking. I wouldn't do that either. But seriously what can we do?"

My brain was working but no brilliant plan came to my mind. Instead I just voiced the only thought I had.

"What would they do to you, if you just told them?" I asked him and felt him tense up.

"I'm not scared of what they'll do to me," he answered and hugged me even closer to him. "I'm afraid of what they'll do to you. They would just cut me off but you… my father is capable of everything, Hermione. Sure he had changed after the war, but that doesn't mean that he is a Muggle lover. Especially not when it is concerned his son. He could make you disappear."

I felt a tremble go through my body as he said the last words.

"He wouldn't dare," I whispered.

"Wouldn't he?" Draco laughed sharply. "Hermione, you don't know my father like I do."

"Perhaps not," I answered and raised my head to look him in the eyes. "But I know some of his fears. One of them is losing you. And the other is Harry. If I disappeared both of his fears would be realized."

"Keep talking," Draco said, and I saw how his brain was walking to process my words.

"Well, if your father made me disappear, what would you do then?"

"I wouldn't speak to him again," came Draco's prompt answer.

I smiled.

"Exactly," I said. "Fear number one realized. And what do you think Harry would do, when you told him, what your father had done?"

Draco frowned before saying, "He would probably avenge you."

"Not just probably," I corrected him. "I would most definitely avenge me. Fear number two realized. So all we have to do, is make your father see that he stands to gain nothing and lose everything if he keeps us from being together."

I watched Draco with pride as my idea was worded and he was accepting it.

"That could work," he said and kissed my forehead. "You really are genius."

"Thank you," I said and gently kissed his lips. "But the answer was not all that hard to find. We were just too focused on the wrong things."

"What I really want to focus on now," Draco said with a mischievous grin, "is my gorgeous girlfriend."

With those words he grabbed me and laid me down on the bed again. We stayed in my dorm for an hour before we both knew that it was time for him to leave. Ginny had already realized that I wasn't alone, so how many others suspected that someone was up here with me? Besides there was no way of knowing if one of my roommates would suddenly come back and find us together. I opened the window for Draco and kissed him goodbye before he flew out the window. I was just about to close the window behind him, when he turned around and flew back.

"Hermione," he said, as he was once again hovered outside my window. "When can we see each other again?"

His words were longing and matched the feeling I had in my heard.

"I don't know," I answered. "It's soon time for lunch."

"Yeah, can we do something after that?" he asked.

I nodded. "But where?"

Draco shook his head.

"I have no idea," he answered and the defeat was clear in his face.

"What about the classroom we were in this morning?" I suddenly remembered how perfect the room had been. "I doesn't seem like anybody ever uses it."

"Perfect!" Draco said, blew me a kiss and flew off.

I watched as he started to get smaller and smaller.

_So, I'm on vacation which is why I have been able to upload to chapters so quickly after each other._

_Please review. And please tell me if you have any good ideas for what to happen next. I'm always interested in hearing you thoughts ___

11


	13. The Revenge

**The Revenge**

During lunch I realized that I owed Draco for tickling me and saying he wasn't afraid of me anymore. I hadn't really thought about it since it happened the day before. There had been so many other things to think about. Derek was only one of them. I had noticed him looking at me when I entered the Hall for lunch and when my eyes met his he smiled widely and he nodded. I felt and instant blush and hurried to my seat. And that was when I remembered my revenge. I just had to cook something up.

While I was brooding Luna walked by, and suddenly I had an idea.

"Luna, wait up!" I yelled at her.

She stopped and turned around to face my. Her dreamy eyes watched me as a serene smile spread on her smooth face.

"Hello, Hermione," she said with her song-like voice. "How are you?"

I suddenly felt guilty for not having spoken to Luna for a long time. We hadn't had a real conversation since the beginning of the school year and that was now a month and a half ago. I smiled back at her.

"I'm fine, thank you?" I said. "What about you? And how's your father?"

Xenophilius Lovegood might have betrayed Harry, Ron and myself but that didn't mean that I was going to hate him forever. I'm not that petty. He did what he did for the love of his captured daughter. He doted on Luna and they were each other's best friend.

"We are both fine," Luna answered. "Dad thinks he might have found a real Moon Frog. You know, Moon Frogs are incredibly lucky."

I sighed happily but decided not to comment on it further. Luna believed in whatever she believed in and even if I knew she was wrong I wasn't going to argue with her. No good was going to come of it. Instead I decided to just nod and agree.

"Yes, I think I've heard about that," I said and watched as Luna's smile widened. "Luna, listen, I actually need your help with something."

"Of course," she said and we sat down together at the Gryffindor table, "what for?"

"Well, I want to pull a prank on a friend, and I think you could help me with it."

"We're friends Hermione," she said and took my hand. "If you want to pull a prank, I'll pull it with you."

It didn't make any sense and I loved Luna all the more.

About an hour later everything was set up for my prank. And it was going to be the best prank ever. Fred and George would be proud of me. Perhaps I would even send George a letter and tell him all about it. But for now I was waiting for Draco in the classroom. I was hiding in a corner where I knew that he wouldn't be able to see me. In the middle of the room one of my old sheets was hovering above the ground. When I watched it I was extremely proud of the work Luna and I had done. I knew Luna was great at transfiguration after the way she had transfigured her Gryffindor hat during our sixth year, and when I had seen her earlier that day a plan had formed in my head. The sheet was transfigured to look like me and we had even made it slightly see-through. Yep, the sheet was my ghost. And this was going to scare the pants of Draco.

Draco entered the room whistling a happy tune which died as soon as he had closed the door behind him.

"Oh, Merlin's pointed beard!" he whispered and ran to the ghost. "What..."

I held back a chuckle as I saw the stunned look on his face. But there was also something else in the back of my mind. Wasn't it kind of mean to make fun of death? Well, I couldn't worry about that, this was just a joke. Luckily I hadn't planned to go any further with this prank. I snuck up behind him while he was still focusing all his attention on the fake ghost in front of him.

"Buh!" I yelled and jumped on his back.

"Oh sweet Merlin!" Draco yelled and jumped a little.

I got down from his back. He turned around to look at me with big eyes. I laid a hand on his chest and felt his heart beat fast and strong.

"Revenge," I said smiling, got on my toes and kissed him.

He didn't return the kiss at first, but slowly he got into it and it ended with a sweet, adorable kiss.

"Do you find me scary now?" I asked him and searched his face for proof that he wasn't mad at me.

He clearly wasn't. His smile was wide and he was grinning down at me as he wrapped his arms around me.

"You might just be the scariest witch I know," he laughed and I felt the rumble of the laugh against my ear.

"So, now we're even," I said when he let go of me and dragged me to the comfortable chair by the teacher's desk.

He sat down on the chair and pulled me down onto his lap. His arms were draped around my waist while his head was leaning against my chest. His breath was tickling my breasts and made me feel on tingly and my breath slowly became more ragged. Draco's hands moved under my shirt and when his fingers brushed over my bared skin Goosebumps broke out all over me and I shivered slightly. His fingers kept on tracing intricate patterns over my hip and stomach. Slowly I felt his breath get ragged as well. But that wasn't the only change. I began feeling his stiffness growing under me.

"Merlin," he gasped as his fingers dug into my hip. "How can you do this to me Hermione, without even doing anything?"

I laughed a little.

"I really don't know," I answered and ran my hands through his hair and ruffled it up. "But I feel the same way."

We both laughed a little embarrassed.

"Let's change the subject," I said and thought about something else to talk about, which was hard since I could still feel his hard penis against my buttock. Then I had an epiphany. "Hey, I just remembered something!"

"What is that?" Draco asked.

"You write music," I stated and watched a little blush form on Draco's cheeks.

"Yes," he said and blushed again. "Your point?"

"Will you play something for me?" I pleaded and pouted like I had seen so many girls do when they wanted boys to do something for them.

Draco cleared his throat and looked around nervously.

"There's no piano here," he said and looked a little relieved.

"Don't be silly," I laughed. "I can transform one of the desks into a piano. Please?"

I pouted again and batted my eyelashes at him. I felt pretty pathetic and started laughing. Draco did the same but eventually gave in.

"Fine," he said and I got of his lap, "work your magic Miss Granger."

I walked to one of the desks, drew my wand and cast a silent spell. The desk turned into a beautiful, black piano forte. When Draco sat down by the piano I couldn't help but remember how I had thought about this moment when he first told me about his ability to play the piano. I had imagined how hot he would look sitting me the piano and how sexy it was that he could play piano. When I actually saw this in front of me I had to admit that it was a hundred times better than I had imagined. His posture was straight and his long slender fingers were caressing the keys with long, sexy strokes. I found myself longing for the touch of those fingers. Suddenly a vibrant tone emanated from the piano and a sweet, flowing melody flowed into the air around them. The melody was light and alive. My mouth fell open when I watched Draco's face. His eyebrows were drawn together in concentration and his mouth was slightly open. He had never before looked so sexy. I was watching him so intently that I didn't even realize that the melody that faded.

"What do you think?" he asked with his sexy smirk that clearly stated that he knew exactly what I was thinking.

"It was amazing," I breathed and sat down next to him. "Did you really write it?"

He nodded.

"Yes, I did," he said and stroked my cheek. "Want to hear something more?"

I smiled at him and took his hand.

"Of course," I answered and moved to get up, but before I could leave my seat Draco's hand pulled me back down.

"No, stay," he said and smiled a little hesitantly. "Just stay here."

I couldn't argue with his sad little voice and his grey, pleading eyes.

"Okay," I whispered and sat down again.

He smiled again and then returned his attention to the piano. His fingers once again caressed the keys before he started playing but this time it was more hesitant. He looked questioningly at me and I gave a reassuring smile which he bleakly returned. Then he started playing. The melody was so different from the other one. This one was deep, sad and dark and brought tears to my eyes. I grabbed Draco's knee when the tears started flowing down my cheeks. His attention shifted from the piano to my face and I saw how his eyes were glassy as well. Still the music didn't stop flowing and the evident sadness in Draco's eyes made me grab his knee even tighter.

In what seemed like a blink of an eye the music had stopped and Draco had thrown his arms around me and his lips were pressed firmly against mine. I was caught blindsided for a moment but soon felt the need to melt into him and started kissing him back while my fingers were clawing at his back to bring him closer still. When we finally drew apart we were both panting hard and crying.

"Oh Merlin," he whispered. "I didn't know..."

He cupped my face with his hands and brushed away the tears with his thumbs.

"You didn't know what?" I asked in a low whisper.

"That melody," Draco said and looked me deep in the eyes, "I wrote during those days when we were apart."

"Oh," I said lost for other words.

"I didn't know it would affect you like this," he said and brushed away another tear. "OR that it would affect me either."

I kissed him tenderly on the lips.

"I'm glad you played this for me," I whispered and kissed him again.

Then I gently hugged him to my chest while stroked his hair. His slender fingers wrapped around me shirt and pulled me closer. Once again I felt this breath caressing my chest but this time his breath was quickly replaced by his lips.

"Oh," I said again, but the sound quickly turned into a low moan.

Draco chuckled at my obvious appreciation. He kissed me again and again. Once again my breath became ragged and I moaned again when Draco licked my collarbone.

"Oh Merlin," I whispered and he chuckled again and drew away.

He looked into my eyes. His grey ones were still glassy but it was clear to me that the glassy look didn't come from previous tears but from arousal.

"Let's stop that," He said with a smirk.

Clearly he knew that I didn't want to stop. But I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of begging for more. Instead I just agreed with him.

"Yeah, let's do something else," I said and smirked back at him.

His eyes became wide with surprise but then the smirk returned.

"Okay," he said. "Any ideas?"

"None whatsoever," I answered with a little laugh.

Draco smiled at me and then looked out the window.

"The weather is nice," he remarked.

I turned my head to look out the window as well. He was right. It was near the end of October but still the sun was shining and the trees were slightly swaying in the gentle breeze. The leaves were golden, red and brown and gave a wonderful warm feeling. I sighed and looked back at Draco.

"You're right," I said.

"So, do you want to go for a walk or something?" he asked me.

I was just about to say yes, that there was nothing else I wanted to do than just walk around with him holding his hand, but then I remembered something essential.

"But we aren't supposed to be seen together," I pointed out.

"Hermione really," Draco laughed at me. "You are supposed to be smart."

I smacked his arm.

"I am smart," I said and smacked him again.

"Then think of something," Draco still laughed.

"Fine," I said and thought for a little while. "I guess I can make a simple disillusion charm that covers the both of us."

"Now you're talking," Draco said and sweetly kissed my lips.

_Sorry for the long wait but I hope __this was worth the wait. Please review!_


	14. The Walk

**The Walk**

"Are you ready?" Draco asked me with big, playful eyes.

I smiled at him and nodded. This was going to be so weird, I realized. We were about to go out into public hand in hand for the first time. Of course no one would be able to see us, if my disillusion charm was strong enough. But still it felt as if we were about to make our relationship public. With a sly smile Draco opened the door and stepped outside. I followed him a little hesitantly, but when his fingers wrapped tighter around mine all my bad thoughts disappeared and I went outside with my head held high. Draco started chuckling but I quickly clasped my free hand over his mouth. We might be invisible but people would still be able to hear us. We tiptoed from the classroom and outside. Hand in hand we walked around the grounds. We walked to Hagrid's hut, the Whomping Willow and the Black Lake.

"Why haven't we done this sometime earlier?" Draco suddenly asked when we were sitting on the edge of the Forbidden Forrest near Hagrid's Hut.

He had his arm wrapped around my shoulder and my head was gently resting against his shoulder. The sun was bathing both of us and I had my eyes closed to truly enjoy its rays. I was so wrapped up in the feeling of the sun that I didn't register his words.

"Huh?" I said, not at all intelligently, and cocked my head to look at him.

He laughed and planted a soft kiss on my nose.

"I asked, you dreamy little girl, why we hadn't done this a long time ago?"

I laughed at this new nickname.

"I'm not a dreamer," I stated with a smile, "and the reason why we didn't do this a long time ago is that we weren't together then. But we are now and today is the perfect day for an outing."

"You are right," he said and drew me closer to him.

I sighed happily when his lips gently pressed against mine and held me in place. I felt his finger combing through my bushy hair and gently tuck on it.

"This is nice," I said when the kiss ended. "It feels like we're a real couple."

At those words Draco drew away from me and looked at me with confused eyes.

"What do you mean?" he asked while his eyes roamed over my face, searching for something.

"You know," I said, a little disturbed by his tone and his desperate eyes.

"Obviously I don't," he said and let his arms fall from my shoulders. "What did you mean when you said 'a real couple'? Don't you think we're a real couple?"

"Well, of course I think that we're a couple," I tried to explain to him what was so obvious to me. "But can we call us a _real_ couple when nobody knows about us? If we are always hiding and if we're a secret to everyone but a few trusted people?"

Draco sighed heavily and his arm again pressed me to his side.

"I see your point," he whispered into my hair. "You just caught me off guard there."

"I'm sorry," I whispered back. "I didn't mean to scare you or make you sad. That wasn't my intention at all, I hope you know that."

I felt him chuckle and kiss the top of my head.

"Of course I know that, luve," he laughed.

"You did not just call me that!" I laughed and looked him in the eyes. "It's sound like some bad mafia movie!"

I expected Draco to laugh as well but the confused look was back. My laugh was suddenly caught in the back of my throat.

"Oh, Draco I'm sorry," I started rambling. "I didn't mean…"

But Draco stopped my rambling with a finger against my lips.

"What on Earth is a movie?" he asked hesitantly and tasted the new, unfamiliar word.

"Oh Sweet Merlin," I said and tried to hide my laugh. "I simply can't explain that. It's too complicated and technical. You know, I'll just have to show you."

"Okay, and how do you plan on doing that?" he asked with a sly smile.

"Later today I'll send an owl to my mother and ask her for the stuff I need to show you. Then when the stuff has arrived we'll find somewhere to be alone. And then you'll see what a movie is. Hey, what kind of books do you like to read?"

"Way to change the subject," Draco said with a frown. "This whole movie thing was just getting interesting."

"It's still about that, I'm just trying to pinpoint what kind of movie you'll like," I said and brushed his cheek.

"There is more than one kind of movie?" Draco asked with big eyes. "And how will my preferences in books help with anything?"

"Well, as there is more than one genre of books there is more than one genre of movies," I carefully explained to him. "Just imagine _seeing_ a book happening instead of reading it. That should give you some hint as to what a movie is."

Draco's frown grew deeper while he tried to picture what I had just told him. Then he groaned and gave up.

"I simply can't see it for my eyes," he said. "But I really like classical books."

That was bit of a shock to me, I have to admit it. I had always pictured Draco as an action man, like Ronald and Harry.

"What kind of classics?" I asked him and tilted my head.

"You know, Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, Bram Stoker and Tolkien."

"Then that's what we are going to watch," I said with a big smile. "I'll ask my mother to send 'Pride and Prejudice', 'Wuthering Heights', 'Jane Eyre', 'Dracula' and 'The Lord of the Rings'."

"Are they movies?" Draco asked with even more confusion than before.

I gently laughed and cupped his face.

"Don't trouble yourself with this," I laughed. "Just wait and see."

"Okay okay," he laughed with me. "I'll wait and see. But I'm really looking forward to this."

We were still laughing when the door to Hagrid's hut suddenly opened at Hagrid stepped out.

"Okay, who's there?" he yelled into the wind. "I heard ya blasted kids laughing! Show yaself!"

Both Draco and I stiffened instantly.

"Oh Merlin," he whispered and jumped to his feet. "What do we do?"

I looked around panic-stricken while my brain was working on high speed.

"Draco, hide," I said while I drew my wand. "I'll remove the charm."

"Allright, have it ya own way!" I heard Hagrid shout and then Fang started barking. "I'm coming out to find ya myself!"

"Quickly!" I added to Draco but he was already gone.

Without thinking twice I lifted the spell and stepped out in front of Hagrid.

"Hagrid, hi!" I said way to cheerful. "It's only me!"

"Hermione…" Hagrid said looking doubtingly at me. "You alone?"

"All alone," I said still with a bright, false smile.

"Okay," Hagrid said and frowned, "where you talking to yourself? I thought I heard another."

"No actually," I said and my mind was churning to think of something "I was talking to Harry."

"To Harry?" Hagrid said and the frown deepened. "How's that possible? Harry is in London."

"It's a Muggle thing called a mobile," I explained and prayed that Hagrid didn't know a thing about them.

"Okay," he said and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Did you want anything from me?"

"Not a thing," I said "I'm sorry if I scared you or something. I'll just be on my way. Nice seeing you Hagrid."

"Yeah," he said scratching his beard. "Nice seeing ya too."

Then he went into his hut once more. I spun around, searching for Draco. When I couldn't find him I started getting worried and slightly scared.

"Draco!" I hissed. "Draco come out, he's gone! Draco!"

I didn't notice him until his hands were covering my eyes.

"Guess who," a voice said, but it wasn't Draco's.

My mind instantly went blank and my mouth went dry. Who the Hell was this person blinding me? It was a boy that much was for sure. And the voice was faintly familiar. But what was this person doing here? How much had he seen? Or heard? And were in the world was Draco?

"Come on Hermione," the voice said. "Make a guess."

"Seamus?" I asked, but I definitely knew that that wasn't who this was.

The voice laughed and suddenly I could see again.

"It's me Hermione," the voice said and spun me around. "It's Derek."

'_Oh Merlin'_ was all my brilliant mind offered me.

"So?" he probed after a minute of silence.

"So what?" I asked my mouth still dry.

"Aren't you glad to see me?"

I sighed.

"Derek, I've already told you, I have a boyfriend."

"I know you do," Derek said with a grin. "But your boyfriend isn't here. So you need someone to talk to. And voila, I'm here aren't I?"

"Derek please," I sighed, "I don't…" And then I simply didn't know what to say to him. I wanted to tell him, that I didn't need another confident, that I already had enough with Ginny and Seamus. But I couldn't let him down like that. No matter how he might feel about me, and how ever wrong it might be I couldn't hurt him and shun him.

"You don't what, Hermione?" Derek asked and moved closer to me.

"I was going to say that I didn't need another friend," I said while I looked at my feet. "But I know that would be wrong. You always need another friend. But that's _**all I need**_."

I emphasized the last words, looking deeply into his eyes.

"Well, I'm prepared to be your friend," Derek answered. "And then we'll see what happens."

"Nothing is going to happen!" I was nearly yelling now. "Derek, there is nothing wrong with you at all, but you really don't know me. I don't know. And even if that wasn't the case I love my boyfriend. And I don't want anybody else."

Derek looked a little beaten at those words, but then he smiled again and looked as confident as ever.

"You might think that now," he whispered and traced my cheekbone with his thumb, "but I'll make you see differently."

Then he walked away without another word and let me alone. I was absolutely dumbstruck and unable to move. Suddenly I felt arms wrap around my waist and soft kiss pressed against my neck. I spun around and looked straight into Draco's soul-searching, grey eyes. He was smiling sweetly at me, but I didn't feel like returning the smile.

"I heard what you said to him," Draco said and drew me closer to him.

"I'm sorry you had to hear that," I whispered and looked down.

Draco grabbed my chin with his hand and made me look at him once more.

"I'm not sorry," he said still smiling. "I love you too."

My heart fluttered in my chest when the words hit me like a tornado. He loved me! But what had prompted him to say it?

"You love me?" I asked and felt a happy tear form at the corner of my eye.

Never before had I felt so happy and joyful even after that talk with Derek.

"Of course I do," he said.

"I love you too," I whispered and hugged him fiercely.

"I heard you saying that to Mr. Smarty-Pants," Draco whispered in my ear. "You can't possibly imagine how happy that made me to hear. Even though I now officially hate him."

I couldn't help laugh at the sheer happiness I was feeling. Draco laughed with me, picked me up and spun me around and around and around till we were both dizzy.

_Sorry for the wait! Please review and tell me what you think._

11


	15. The Fears

**The ****Fears**

November came and left. All leaves turned bright yellow, orange and red and then fell to the ground which was now solid frozen every night and morning. Snow came, a lot of it, covered the already romantic Hogwarts ground with a fine layer of mystical, gleaming light. It was a splendid time to be in love. If only there was nothing _but_ love.

But no fairytale ends happily without trials in the middle. I mean, else there wouldn't be a tale at all.

After Draco and I had finished watching 'Pride and Prejudice' he declared that movies were simply a duller version of plays but that they were alright. After we watched 'Lord of the Rings' he changed his mind and after that day he made me watch countless science fiction and fantasy movies.

But there were three very eminent shadows hovering over our happiness. 1) Derrick still pursued me, thinking that we were meant for each other. Lately I had started making sure I was with Luna whenever Derrick found me, hoping that the two of them would take a liking to each other. So far, no luck, although Luna did admit that he was attractive. Well, it's better than nothing, I suppose. 2) We still had to hide our relationship from everyone except Seamus and Ginny. Luna was slowly beginning to catch on and I think others as well, but there were no reproaches. If people suspected anything they kept it to themselves. 3) We still had to tell Draco's parents. And that problem was far scarier than any of the others.

Christmas vacation was approaching vastly and Draco and I had plans for our vacation together. And for telling his parents about us.

"I can't wait to finally walk around with you in public," Draco said to me the last day of school before going home. We were yet again sitting in the Prefect's bathroom, which had sort of become our refuge. Only problem was that Derrick had made it a habit to use that same restroom, since he discovered I spent a lot of time in there. This day we were on the floor next to each other, Draco's arm wrapped around my shoulders and my head resting on his.

"I know," I whispered. And I did. But I also knew what it was going to take for us to get there.

Over the last two months Draco had developed a astonishing gift for telling when I was thinking about something, and this time was no different.

"Share your thoughts, love."

I gave him a weak smile before saying, "It's not important."

Draco sighed and shook his head.

"I thought you knew better than to lie to me," he said, sounding disappointed.

"It's not really lie, Draco," I defended myself. "I was just thinking about something we've been talking about a lot so I don't want to bring it up again."

At this Draco jaw set and he looked rather angry.

"What?" I asked and ran the backside of my hand reassuringly over his stubbled cheek.

"It's that Eagle-boy again, isn't it?" he said hotly. "That Derrick guy! You're thinking about him, aren't you?"

"Dear God, now!" I exclaimed, quite offended that he would think such a thing. "Why in Merlin's beard would you think that?!"

I struggled to get out of his hold, wanting to get away from him, but he held me firmly in place and pushed flush against his side.

"Don't leave, Hermione," he sighed. "I'm… I'm sorry, alright?"

Yeah, like that was enough.

"This will all be better once we can show the world that we're together."

And we were back to that again. I sighed and relaxed against him.

"Right," I said, but it didn't seem like Draco was listening to me at all.

"Then I can show that smug bastard who has your heart in hand. He's lucky you're protecting him really. If you hadn't insisted on me not harming him I would have smacked in his pretty boy face long time ago."

"Draco!" I scolded him and jumped to my feet, fast enough for him to not be able to react in time. "Don't say things like that!"

"Why not?" he asked angrily and got to his feet as well. "It's the truth, that's how I feel! I wish I could show that guy that he has no claim on you whatsoever! That you're mine and mine alone!"

That spurred my anger to unknown levels.

"Draco, you have no claim over me!" I shouted. "You don't own me! I'm with you because I choose to be, not because I'm yours!"

"You belong to me, Hermione Granger!" Draco said also angry beyond anything. He stepped closer to me and grabbed my arm powerfully.

"No, Draco, I don't!" I spat back at him. "I'm your girlfriend not your property!"

"Same thing!"

"Not at all! With property you can do what you wish to do. With a girlfriend with do what you have permission to do and nothing else. It's called respect!"

"I know I respect you!"

"Oh, really," I said sarcastically. "Then why are you holding on to my arm so tightly that I'm going to bruise once you let go?"

Draco didn't reply. Slowly the anger evaporated from his eyes, which turned instantly remorseful. He quickly let go of my arm and I backed away from him, out of his reach. Suddenly his stance became broken and he looked the perfect picture of guilt and torment.

"Hermione, I'm sorry," he whispered and stepped away from me. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for my temper to get the best of me. But it did and I'm sorry. I… I just get so jealous when I can't claim your love in public. It shouldn't get to me like this, but it does. Please forgive me."

I hesitated. For a moment there he had actually scared me. I had never experienced him like that before, bordering on violent. Something had to be wrong.

"Is that all there is, Draco?" I asked softly. "Or is something else bothering you?"

He flinched once I asked the last question and I knew I had hit the nail on the head.

"You're right," he said and sighed, dropping to the floor. I looked to shattered and broken that I felt I had no other choice than to go to him for comfort and support.

"Tell me," I pleaded.

"I'm just so anxious about my parents," he revealed after a slight pause.

My lips twisted into a little smile before I said, "That was actually the very thing I was thinking about, too."

Draco head snapped up so I could look into his beautiful, captivating eyes.

"Really?" he asked befuddled, and I nodded. "Merlin, I was a twit then!"

I laughed shortly before wrapping my arms around him and drawing his head to my chest.

"Yeah, you were," I answered truthfully. "But I forgive you. You're under a lot of pressure right now, it's understandable."

"So are you, but I don't see you bruising me," he pointed out against my shirt.

"Perhaps not, but you and I have different ways of handling stress."

"Yeah, I may way is horrible. I hope… I hope you weren't in a lot of pain. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

I hesitated before asking, "You want to truth?"

He wrenched himself away from me and looked up.

"I hurt you," he said bluntly and ashamed.

"Not really physically," I hurriedly said. "But you did scare me."

His eyes widened in remorse and sorrow.

"Hermione, I'm so sorry! Please say you forgive me! Please! I…"

I silenced him with a tender kiss. At first he wasn't present in mind; his body was hard and unyielding. But as my lips worked against his he softened and in the end he succumbed to my love and affection. His lips started moving with mine and his tongue ran hesitantly over my lips before I allowed him inside. As he became bolder and more confident his arms snaked around me and held me against his chest. Slowly he fell backwards with me lying on him, his arms on the small of my back, my fingers intertwined in his slivery hair.

"I forgive you," I whispered against his lips. "I love you."

"I love you too." He closed his eyes and squeezed me tightly. "Merlin, I can't wait for this all to be over so we can just be together. Without fear of anybody."

"Draco…" I whispered, but then held my tongue before I could utter another word.

Of course Draco wouldn't allow that and said, "Yes, my love?"

I was just about to say nothing when I remembered that that was exactly what had started our earlier fight. So instead I said the truth.

"I'm scared."

Instantly Draco drew me closer to him. His one hand left my back to wander up into my chair and start rubbing my head.

"Of what?" he asked, and I sensed a worry in him. I realised he was afraid that it was _him_ I was scared of.

"The meeting with your parents," I answered truthfully. "I'm scared of what they'll do to us. To you. You know they won't be happy about this."

He laughed sarcastically.

"Of course they won't be happy," he answered. "But I don't care. I'm happy with you, with or without their consent."

"But what are they capable of doing once they find out?" I pressed on. Draco avoided the topic.

"Don't worry, I won't let them harm you in any way."

"It's not me I fear for, it's you. You're their son. They might possibly feel betrayed by you and seek revenge or some other silly, dangerous thing. Why won't you let me come with you?"

"We've been over this, Hermione, a million times," he said ever bit as patiently as before. "I won't endanger you by bringing you into the lion's den. Better you stay away until I've told you."

"If I am to do that, you must promise me one thing."

"Everything, love."

"Let me be close so that I can easily get to you if something happens."

I could see Draco fighting hard to find a reason to deny what I asked for. But he had promised. And Draco never backed out of a promise. He groaned in surrender.

"Fine," he said through clench teeth. "But you are not to interfere unless I call you!"

Then it was my turn to hesitate. There was no way Draco was going to call me to his parent's house. No matter what sort of torture they put him through. But I could also sense that this was important to Draco, so I gave in and nodded my consent.

"Okay," I whispered and kissed his slightly whiskered cheek. "I won't come unless you give me permission to do so. Then we are both satisfied."

He smiled sweetly and ran a finger over my cheekbone before cupping my cheek in his hand.

"There is nothing I'd rather do than walk out of here with you by my side and shout that I love you," he whispered. I saw a tear gleaming in the corner of his eye. "As soon as this is over that's the first thing I'll do."

He sighed before pressing a sweet kiss against my lips and drawing me to my feet.

"But for now," he said, brushing the tiny tear away from his cheek "I have to get you back to your room and your mother, Miss Ginny Weasley, so that you two can help each other pack your things for tomorrow."

_**Okay**__**, okay I know you've been waiting for this update for months! But I've just sort of lost feeling with this story, and I don't even feel like finishing it. But for you, my beloved readers, I'll do it. **_

_**Please review and make my job easier on me. **_

10


	16. The Truth

**The Truth**

The following morning I felt my entire body buzz with nervous excitement. Our things had been carried away by the house elves and Ginny and I were making our way to the train. I was making polite conversation, trying to cover up the fact that I was nervous as hell. She didn't seem to catch on as long as I just laughed at the right places and sighed or exclaimed loudly when she did. So everything was going fine so far. We got to the train and got inside to find our own compartment. We sat there and waited for Seamus and Luna to find us. Of course Draco couldn't sit with us, though I really wanted him to. I'd told Luna the previous night, about Draco and I, and all she did was warn me that if I wasn't careful love could attract the Humpy Backfly. I promised her to be on the lookout for the naughty, hunchbacked fly.

Finally we were all assembled in the little compartment and the train started moving towards London. For the others this was just the normal trip they took to get to their parents' for Christmas. But for me, and for Draco who was somewhere I didn't know, the trip was taking me towards unknown danger. The further away from Hogwarts we came, the more the thought of my coming ordeals weighed on me and made it much harder to seem carefree and happy. Finally Ginny caught on.

"Hermione, what's the matter?" she asked concerned.

"Oh, it's nothing," I said as cheerfully as I could. "Don't worry about me."

"But we do," Seamus chimed in. "You've been very quiet all day."

"I don't want to trouble you with my worries," I said with a little smile. But they didn't back down.

"We don't mind troubles," Luna said softly. "We're friends after all. Friends listen to each other, troubles or else."

I sighed and surrendered. I sure had great friends, there was no denying that.

"It's about Draco," I said and expected Ginny to scuff in disgust. But she didn't. So I continued, "Or really it's about his parents. We're going to tell them. Later today."

"You're kidding," Ginny said with huge eyes. "You can't tell them! They'll kill you both! Or his father will anyway."

"Ginny's right," Seamus said. "They're unstable, you can't tell them."

"But we can't have a relationship without his parents knowing of it," I argued.

"Then you should just break up," Ginny said harshly and leaned back in her seat with crossed arms. "You know I don't like him and this relationship was doomed from the beginning. There's no use in fighting the inevitable."

Her words were the same as always, but when mixed with my current state of fear they ticked me off.

"Ginny Weasley, I am done listening to this!" I yelled and jumped from my seat. "This is all you ever say! You don't like him, I get it! But you haven't ever made an effort to like him. Instead you just start an argument with him whenever you see him! I am _not_ going to break up with him, so you'll just have to get over that little complex of yours and start to like him! I'm going."

With those words I made my way to the door with hard, angry steps.

"Where're you going?" Luna's dreamy voice called after me.

"I don't know," I admitted. "Just away from here."

I closed the door loudly behind me and then leaned against the wall of the compartment, feeling my anger shrink quickly.

"Hermione."

It was a voice I knew all too well.

"Draco," I sighed and looked up into his perfect face. He was smiling softly down at me with a mixture of concern and pride.

"I heard you screaming," he said with a small smirk.

"Ugh," I groaned and leaned forward to rest my cheek on his chest. "Why can't she just get over herself? Is it really that hard for her to at least just try to like you? I mean, for me? She's supposed to be my friend."

"I'm sure that she is convinced that she's doing her duty as a friend," he defended her, which was definitely something new. "She's convinced that us breaking up will be the best thing for you. She doesn't mean to upset you, she's just doing what she believes is right."

"Well there's something new," I said with a little smile. "I never thought I'd hear you defend Ginny Weasley."

"Yeah, well, my tongue was burning with every single word," he said darkly. "But I stand by what I said all the same."

"Thank you," I whispered and stood on my toes to kiss him tenderly.

"You're welcome," he whispered against my lips.

The moment was utterly perfect. Right up until we heard a loud laughter coming towards us. First then did we realize that we were actually in public. Draco looked regretfully at me and then pulled away from me.

"You better stay far away from me, frizzy head," he said loudly with his mean sneer.

"Nothing would please me more," I retorted angrily. In some very weird way these little, fake banters were incredibly funny and we both enjoyed them greatly. Draco winked at me and started walking towards the laughter and what I guessed was his compartment. I sighed and made to get into my own compartment again before a voice called my name; another voice I knew very well but not one that pleased me like Draco's.

"Derrick," I sighed and turned towards him. "How are you?"

He stopped in front of me with one of his friends at his side.

"Great," he asked with a brilliant smile. "How about you?"

"Wonderful," I answered, and it wasn't a complete lie; seeing Draco had calmed me down a lot. "If you'll excuse me, my friends are waiting for me."

I opened the compartment door and hoped to be rid of him then, but he just stepped up behind me and followed me inside.

"Hi everybody," he said loudly as he entered the compartment and closed the door behind him. Quickly I sat down next to Ginny so the only open seat was next to Luna. Derrick took it with a slightly disappointed glance towards me. I didn't look at him. Instead I took Ginny's hand and asked her to forgive me, which she did in a heartbeat. Then we started talking about our plans for the holiday, leaving out Derrick altogether so he started a conversation with Luna. When Ginny and I saw that we shared a secret smile. Luna was definitely starting to feel something for the handsome Ravenclaw boy. It was clear in the way her entire face lit up when he spoke to her.

Many hours later, after Derrick had left us and Ginny had taken a little nap with her head on my shoulder, we arrived in London.

"Ginny," I called softly and shook her gently. "We're here."

"Oh," she yawned sleepily. But when she looked out her window and saw platform 9¾ her lips split into a great smile. She flew up from her seat and gathered her things. Then she jumped out of the compartment and off the train. Laughing amongst ourselves Luna, Seamus and I followed her. We found her in Harry's arms – where else? Harry, after having freed himself from Ginny's arms, hugged me as well.

"How are you, Hermione?" he asked with bright eyes.

"Perfectly fine," I answered and hugged him again. "Could you take my things to Grimmauld Place? There's somewhere else I have to be, but then I'll come straight home to you afterwards?"

Harry looked a little confused, but obliged none the less. I kissed his cheek in appreciation and then sat out to find Draco in the mass of people. We had decided to meet at the bus stop in front of the station; hopefully no one would see us there. From there we could apparate to the Malfoy Manor.

Draco was right where he should be, waiting at the bus stop as if he was waiting to catch the next bus to Kensington Garden or somewhere else. I looked around to make sure that no one was watching and content with what I saw I walked to him. As I approached I was pleased, very pleased, to see a smile spread on his lips, growing bigger for every step I took that brought me closer to him.

When I was finally standing in front of him he wasted no time in taken me into his arms and holding me close. I could hear his heart thumbing loudly in his chest and I felt his hot breath on my neck. He was nervous, I could easily tell.

"Relax," I said and reached up to smooth the lines of his face with a finger. "I'll be right there with you."

My words only made him frown.

"You know that's the main reason why I'm worried."

"And you know that I won't even make an appearance unless you call for me."

He sighed and held me tight again.

"I know," he whispered and planted a kiss on the top of my head. "You ready?"

I took a deep breath before answering, "Ready as I'll ever be."

With a turn he spun us around and apparated us to his room in Malfoy Manor. It was the first time I was in his room – not the first time I was in his house though; I was still trying to forget my last visit – and I couldn't keep myself from looking around with big, curious eyes.

"Make yourself at home," he said strangely cheerfully and squeezed my hand. "Feel free to look around as much as you'd like." Then his face instantly grew solemn and serious. "Just promise me that whatever you hear you'll stay in here."

"Draco," I almost whined. "We've been over this; I promise I won't go anywhere."

"Good girl," he said cheerfully again. "I love you Hermione. And though I'm not happy that you're here, you know, in this situation, I'm strangely happy that I'm able to show you my home. Or at least a part of it."

"I'm strangely happy to be here," I said sweetly and reached up to press a sweet kiss to his lips.

"Okay," he whispered and the cheerfulness evaporated. "Here I go."

"Good luck," I said quickly before he disappeared out the door.

As much as I wanted to explore every inch of his big, expensively furnished room, I couldn't get myself to do it. I was too nervous and too scared to do any of the things I wanted. Like check out his enormous bookshelves. Or his desk. Or his closet. But I did none of those things. Instead I just sat down on his bed with my legs drawn up underneath me and my hands wrapped together tightly in my lap. I felt a tight knot forming in my stomach and another one in my throat. Then I heard voices. Loud, shouting voices. I couldn't really discern the words but I instantly recognised Draco's voice, angry and uninhibited.

Then another voice, very much like Draco's only deeper and angrier started shouting. I still couldn't hear all the words, but I thought I heard something like, "tramp", "Mudblood", "foolish" and other foul and discouraging words. Obviously Lucius Malfoy was not a fan of me – or of his son's relationship with me.

And then the other noises started. There was the clattering of china being broken and of wooden furniture being thrown. And then came the noise I feared the most – next to the words _"Avada Kedavra"_ – the sound of flesh hitting flesh, violently. I flinched, hoping that Draco hadn't been on the receiving end. Then the sound came again. And again.

Suddenly Draco bellowed, "Merlin, old man, I love her!"

Then the house was quiet. Deadly quiet. I could have dropped a pin on the floor and they'd all have come running upstairs thinking the roof was going to fall down. I couldn't stand the silence. It was even worse than many of the noises I'd heard earlier. Surely they must be saying something. Anything. I untangled myself and sneaked to the door and opened it just a little.

I was just in time to hear Lucius saying, "Get out of my house. Now!"

Draco started protesting, saying that he'd lose his only son, his only _child_, if he did this.

"I don't care," Lucius sneered angrily. "I'd rather have no child at all than a child who betrays me."

It was clear to me that the conversation ended here. Lucius was not going to listen to reason. He wasn't going to back down. He wouldn't accept our love. He'd rather lose his child than give up on his old ways. When I heard Draco begin to climb the stairs to his room I quickly shut the door and scrambled back to the bed. The doorknob turned and I felt my stomach drop when I saw his beaten face – in more than one sense. He had a deep violet soap eye and his spirits were all the way in the gutter.

"Oh, darling!" I whispered when he fell to his knees in front of me and buried his head in my lap. I held him close and stroked his hair as he started crying. "I'm so sorry. I was sure it would work, I don't know… I'm so sorry."

"Don't, Hermione," he whispered through sobs and tears. "He doesn't want me anymore and there's nothing I can do about it."

"Yes there is," I said and my heart dropped at what I knew I had to say. "Just tell him that you are willing to give me up. If we end our relationship now there's still a chance he'd let you back in."

Draco's head snapped up from my lap and he looked at me with hurt, angry eyes.

"I won't ever do that!" he said hotly. "I won't give you up no matter what that spiteful old man throws at me! He says he'd rather have no son than a son who betrays him. Well, I'd rather have no farther than one who doesn't respect my choices!"

He breathed heavily as he looked into my eyes. He tried to be strong but saw the vulnerability and the pain clearly. I reached out to him and took him in my arms again.

We sat together like that for awhile before Draco suddenly said, "I have no home."

"You can come with me," I offered, knowing that he had no other place. "You can come with me to Grimmauld Place."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," he whispered. "That's Potter's home, he wouldn't want me there."

"Let me just talk to him," I said reassuringly. "I'll talk to him. But first let's get you packed."

He nodded as he saw sense in my words and then got to his feet and started throwing some things in a big bag.

"Anything you need me to do?" I asked. Draco stopped packing and looked at me with big, sorrowful eyes.

"Would you just, I don't know, just talk to me? I love hearing your voice; it might calm me down a bit."

So I talked. I talked about nothing at. I talked about how your vacation was going to be like, now that we would live together. We'd spent Christmas day with my parents, then he could finally meet them – of course they knew all about him, there was no need to keep our relationship a secret from them. After fifteen minutes talking I was low on subject but luckily Draco was done. I stood up and took his arm and apparated us to Grimmauld Place. When we landed in front of the great house I saw how Draco tensed up and I tried to make him calm by taking his hand and squeezing it.

"Just let me talk," I said. We walked up the stairs together, still holding hands, and I rung the doorbell.

Harry opened the door with a big smile – until he saw Draco.

"Harry," I said pleadingly. "Could we please come in?"

_**I've been a terrible updater lately, I know it! But I'm graduating in three days so I think I have a good excuse… **_

_**Hopefully this chapter will make all my lovely, wonderful readers happy and make my even better reviews write their fingers bloody! Or perhaps just sore, I don't want you to get hurt…**_

12


	17. The Story

**The Story**

Harry looked in confusion from my face to Draco's and to out entwined hands. His face was a perfect picture of surprise and something close to horror.

"Please Harry," I pleaded again and my voice seemed to bring him back to life. He shook his head and stepped aside to let us in.

"Sure, Hermione," he said hoarsely. "Anything for you, you know that."

I breathed a sigh of relief and stepped in the door with Draco hesitantly walking behind me. Harry closed the door behind us and we all stood awkwardly in the hallway for a while.

"What…?" Harry started to say when he was interrupted by a wail coming from upstairs. Teddy was clearly awake now and something was definitely not to his liking. Harry sighed and said, "I just have to check on him. You to make yourself comfortable in the kitchen. I'll be there in just a moment."

And then he disappeared up the stairs. I could sense Draco's unease radiating from him and I gave his hand a comforting squeeze.

"It's going to be fine," I whispered reassuringly. "Harry would never let you out in the cold."

Draco didn't look at me when he said, "I believe you. I really do. But it doesn't really make me trust _him_ the way I trust _you_."

"I know," I whispered and started pulling him towards the kitchen. "But then you'll just have to trust me."

Draco stopped walking and gravely said, "I do."

I smiled at him and reached up to kiss him chastely before showing him into the kitchen where we sat down at the dinner table. There we sat in complete silence. Draco had his arms around me and clung to me as if I was the only thing that kept him on this earth. And when that thought entered my mind I realised that now that he'd lost his family I really _was_ the only thing of worth left in his world. In cuddled into his embrace and hoped to show him that I'd never leave. Not as long as he still wanted me.

After a few minutes the crying stopped and we heard steps upon the stairs. I felt Draco tense up again and I kissed his cheek quickly to reassure him again. Then Harry stepped into the room. Again he seemed to freeze at the sight of us together, but he quickly pulled himself together and went to sit in front of us.

"So," he said slowly. "Anything you'd like to tell me, Hermione?"

It didn't go by unnoticed that he only talked to me and only looked at me. But I didn't hold it against him. Draco was not his favourite person. Ever since they first met they'd been enemies. And the role that Draco had played in the war and in Dumbledore's death didn't make things better between the two of them. So I had to be there to mediate.

"I meant to tell you earlier," I started off with. "But I didn't know how you'd take it. And I'm embarrassed to say that I was scared of your reaction. But you have a right to know. I love Draco." Harry's eyes widened slightly in shock. "And he loves me too."

For the first time during my speech Harry's gaze shifted from me to Draco with question marks written all over his face.

"It's true," Draco said solemnly. "I love her."

Harry seemed to calm down slightly but he still had an aura of mistrust wrapped around him like a cloak.

"Who else knows?" he asked.

"Seamus, Ginny, Luna, my parents and his parents," I answered. At the last Harry's eyes seemed to almost bulge out of his face in surprise.

"You told Narcissa and Lucius?" he wheezed incredulously.

"We did," I answered. "And that's really why we're here." I trailed off and looked to Draco for him to finish the story. It was his family after all.

"They rejected me," he said with his head held high, but I could sense the sadness behind his controlled words. "They rejected Hermione and condemned our relationship."

I was watching Harry as Draco spoke and I could see his sympathy-gene kick in. His eyes softened and his expression turned from mistrusting to compassion. I smiled in joy; this was exactly what I knew would happen.

"I see," he said. "And I'm guessing that you're here looking for a place to stay?"

"Yes, please," I said.

Harry smiled.

"You don't have to say please, Hermione. You're my best friend. I'd do anything for you."

The sincerity in his simple words brought tears to my eyes and I flew up from my seat and ran to hug him close.

"Thank you!" I whispered into his ear. "Thank you so much!"

He laughed as he padded my back a little awkwardly.

"You don't have to thank me," he said and I let go of him. "Malfoy, you can have the room next to Hermione's."

"Thanks Potter," Draco said without any of the usual contempt that usually coloured his voice when he spoke Harry's name. I looked between the two of them and saw a kind of truce forming there. It was about time, I thought. They _were_ going to be living together after all. I sat down next to Draco again and almost on instinct he put his arms around me again.

"Is there a story behind how this happened?" Harry asked curiously after watching us sit together for a few seconds. I told him everything. How Seamus had gotten his spell wrong – again – and locked us together. How we'd been forced to spent time closely together in the Hospital Wing and how we'd formed a truce there and also the first seeds of love. Then I told him the hardest part of our story, the separation. Even now I could still fell the sadness filling me, and Draco held onto me tighter as if he was afraid I might suddenly disappear. Then I told him about how we'd tried to keep our love a secret and in the end I told him about Draco's confrontation with his father. I glanced up at the hero of my life and was sad to know that his black eye was getting worse. It was now purple/black and slightly swollen. Harry evidently followed the direction of my eyes, rose from his chair and prepared a cloth filled with ice which he handed to Draco. Draco smiled appreciatively and accepted the cloth. He winced a little when the ice first came in contact with his sore eye, but after that a peacefulness spread across his face. Then we talked about our plans for the holiday for a little while until Teddy started crying again.

"I'm sorry," Harry apologised and got up. "I have to go check on him. Hermione, why don't you show Malfoy to his room?" Then he left.

I too got up from my chair and pulled Draco after me.

"So," I said sweetly, "are you ready to see your new home?"

Pain quickly flashed over his face, but when I put and arm around his waist the pain disappeared and for the first time all day he actually looked happy.

"I am," he said and followed me from the kitchen and up the stairs.

_**I am SO sorry to have left you all waiting for so long. There's no excuse really, just general laziness. Please forgive me…**_

_**BUT! I did finish another chapter and that's something I guess.**_

_**Unfortunately there's another but… I have no idea how to continue this story! So any ideas you may have I would like to hear.**_

_**Then, all that's left to say is… REVIEW!**_

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	18. The Vacation

**The Vacation**

It proved to be the best Christmas of my life. I took Draco to my parents' house for a Christmas dinner and they instantly took a liking to him. He was pleasant and charming with my mother and talked business with my father. He even got both of them presents, which he really shouldn't have. The next morning he woke me with a tender, sweet kiss and a small gift which contained a simple silver necklace with a little silver heart. It was perhaps the sweetest gift I'd ever gotten. We then joined Harry and Teddy downstairs for breakfast and further gift exchanges. It was a little sad to see Teddy and think that if it wasn't for Voldemort he'd be having Christmas morning with his parents. But of course it's useless to be sad about things like that, there's no changing them. Yeah, that Christmas was definitely the best ever. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said for New Years.

"Harry, my boy! And Hermione darling!" Mrs. Weasley greeted us happily when we entered the door on New Years. She came running to the door to hug us both and probably also to take Teddy from Harry, but as soon as she saw Draco coming in through the door she froze in her tracks. She stood still, looking befuddled from Draco to me and then to Harry. I didn't know what to say. So I took Draco's hand and realisation dawned on Molly's face.

"Molly," I said patiently. "Draco is my boyfriend."

For a moment Molly was shocked and at a loss to find words.

She opened her mouth and then closed it again before finally saying, "Dinner's in the oven." Then she smiled pleasantly and walked into the kitchen. I felt Draco sigh in relief and I have to admit that, silently, I did the same thing. Arthur was really nice to Draco; they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries as we sat down in the small living room. I hadn't really expected anything else from Arthur; that man is as good as the day is long and he was never one for confrontations were none is needed. Also George was quite sweet in his own, goofy way. Bill too tried his hardest to be kind as always although Fleur was rather reluctant to do as her husband did. But these Weasley's weren't the ones that worried me. It was Ron. And I was right to be worried.

Ron wasn't there when we arrived. Arthur explained that he was in his room, reading some magazine about the Chudley Canons but that he would be down as soon as he was finished. I wasn't particularly looking forward to showing Ron my new boyfriend – not only because Ron was an ex, but also because the new boyfriend, the one who replaced Ron, was Draco. He was definitely not going to be happy.

After about 15 minutes of chattering back and forth, we heard loud steps on the winding stairs and I instantly froze, knowing that Ron was on his way. He came into the living room just a couple of seconds later with a big, excited grin, which instantly faltered when he saw me and Draco sitting next to each other, his hand resting comfortably on my knee with my hand draped over it. Instantly his ears went dark red and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"You!" he snarled and lunged at Draco. Luckily Bill and Arthur were quick on their feet to hold him back. I also jumped up, standing in between Draco and Ron, trying to keep them apart. Behind me Draco rose and put his comforting hands on my shoulders.

"What is he doing in my home?" Ron hissed angrily.

"He's a guest," Arthur said as he tried to press Ron into a chair, but Ron wouldn't bulge.

"Why?"

As though that wasn't obvious.

"Because he's my boyfriend," I answered as friendly as I could. After seeing how Ginny reacted to Draco, I had expected Ron to be 10 times worse. But it was still hard to defend your boyfriend to your best friend.

"No, he's not!" Ron said stubbornly and everyone in the room breathed a collective sigh.

"Ron, he is," I sad almost as if talking to a child.

"Sure, Hermione, you think he is," Ron said with eminent pity. "But you have to realise that he's only _pretending _to be your boyfriend. Believe me, he has something cooking."

"Ron," I said, feeling my patience slip.

"No, Hermione, please hear me out. I'm telling you there's no way he's into you."

And there. My patience snapped. I was instantly flaming red and _very_ angry.

"Excuse me?" I yelled angrily. "What are you saying exactly, I'm not attractive or what?"

Already before I was done talking I saw understanding dawning on Ron's face. He realised the error of his hastily spoken words, but it was too late to reason with me.

"Is that why you dated me in the first place? Because you felt sorry for me? Because you figured that nobody else wanted me so you might as well be the big guy and sacrifice yourself?"

I felt how Draco's hands squeezed my shoulders to calm me down, but I was solely focused on Ron and his remorseful face.

"That's not what I meant," he said weakly.

"Oh, it's not?" I retorted sarcastically. "Then what exactly did you mean then?"

"That _he_ can't be attracted to you because he's not human!"

I snorted humourlessly.

"Ron, you insufferable git!" I yelled. "You find it so hard to believe that someone you hate could possibly have a tender side?"

Ron didn't answer, but then again he didn't have to. I could see the answer clearly on his face. I felt tears of anger and frustration well in my eyes and unable to really do anything about it, I turned around to bury my face at Draco's chest. Without hesitation Draco put his arms around me protectively. He encircled me in his warmth and comfort as he stroked my hair reassuringly.

I felt a slight rumble in his chest as he said, "Weasley, I know you don't like me. Quite frankly, I hate you too. But I was prepared to put that behind me for her. Apparently you aren't so I'll have to tell you this: if you _ever_ make her cry again, I'll go back to my spiteful old self, and believe me, you won't like it one bit."

I sniffed against Draco, wanting to scold him for threatening my best friend, but I was strangely satisfied that somebody finally had the nerve to put Ron in his place. Besides, I was still furious with Ron, so I just figured he deserved it.

The rest of the evening was painful and silent. Nobody said much, Ron sulked and Draco kept giving him evil glances every time he as much as looked at me. I was relieved to be going home. Home to be with Draco, alone.

_**I'm so sorry for the long wait, but I hope it's good enough you all. A lot of you wanted a confrontation with Ron, so I hope I delivered.**_

_**Please review! I'll give you a fluffy bear in exchange. Come on, you know you want it…**_

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	19. The Return

**The Return**

After we came back from the Burrow Draco and I made love for the first time. And I fell even more in love with him, if that was even possible. We spend the rest of our vacation in Draco's room. Harry had agreed to let Draco stay indefinitely but we were already talking about finding out own place. We planned on living together as soon as we could afford it. I couldn't wait.

On the train back to Hogwarts we made no secret of our relationship. We were met with a lot of stares and even some curses, but most people cheered us on. It was the strangest thing ever. Well, not really. The strangest thing ever first happened when we found the compartment where Ginny and Luna had saved us some seats. When we arrived there we found that Luna was, by no means, on her own anymore. Her lips seemed to be sown to another set of lips. A set of lips which belonged to… of course, who else than Derrick?

They didn't seem to notice our entrance, but Ginny did.

"Hermione!" she shouted happily and rushed to hug me tightly. After pulling back she offered Draco her hand and he shook it with a pleasant smile. "Hermione, I'm so happy you're here! I can't looking at these two anymore."

I laughed heartedly.

"What makes you think that Draco and I won't be just as annoying?"

Ginny snorted and said, "Because you've had a long time to get that out of your systems. Now you're just a couple. Boring, but not disgusting."

"If they are disgusting," Draco said with a teasing tone, "then what were you and Potter when you came to visit him during the holiday?"

Draco had a point. Those two had been all over each other.

"That's different," Ginny huffed. "We've been apart for a long time."

The rest of the train ride went by with pleasant conversation and a few good laughs – not at any time did Luna or Derrick participate in any of this. They were too wrapped up in each other.

When we arrived at Hogwarts Draco and I had to go our separate ways to each our dormitory. On the main stairs, in front of almost the entire school, Draco encircled me tenderly and kissed me with undeniable passion. At first I was rigid, knowing that they were all looking at us, but I couldn't deny Draco's caress for long. I gave in and kissed him back. When he finally released me I staggered a little and then blushed when I heard several onlookers whoop and cheer. Draco smiled warmly at me, gave me a little squeeze and then walked towards the dungeons.

Ginny grabbed my arm firmly and started dragging me towards the Gryffindor dormitory. I followed her lost in my own, happy little world that revolved solely around Draco Malfoy. I know, it's crazy. To think that I'd fall in love with Draco Malfoy, I boy I'd always considered an enemy of mine. Now he was my boyfriend, whom I loved most dearly.

I didn't see him again until dinner. And that was where he stunned me, Ginny and Seamus and the entire school.

I had just sat down for dinner when I saw Draco enter the Great Hall. It was hard not to notice him. he had this air about him, and air I'd once perceived as arrogance but now it was just Draco – it was who he was and I loved him for it. He stood there in the doorway, looking around until his eyes landed on me. I couldn't help it. a great, goofy grin spread on my face and my hearts skipped several beats. He smiled lovingly at me and then walked my way. Once he got to me he laid a hand on my shoulder, bent over and kissed my forehead. But he didn't do anything else as I'd thought he would. Instead he looked at the person sitting opposite from me. Seamus.

"Finnigan," he said to get Seamus' attention.

"Yeah?" Seamus said and looked up from his meal.

"There's something I have to say to you," Draco paused dramatically before finally saying, "Thank you."

Everyone around them went completely silent. Nobody had ever heard Draco Malfoy thank anyone before – least of all a Gryffindor. Seamus' mouth hang open in astonishment and he didn't respond.

"Thank you for that spell of yours that went wrong," Draco continued as if nobody was looking at him funnily. "It brought me and Hermione together. I can't thank you enough for that. It's the greatest thing that has ever happened to me and I'll be forever grateful to you."

Seamus was completely flabbergasted but he managed to stutter, "You're welcome."

With a big grin Draco sat down next to me a started pilling food on the plate in front of him. He seemed both comfortable and entirely at home, like he'd never done anything else than sit next to me, with all my friends at the Gryffindor table, and eat his dinner. Gradually the people around us stopped looking curiously at him and returned to their own food. Every once in a while Draco would put down his fork and reach out for my hand or stroke my cheek or something else like that.

Once the feast had ended Draco just sad there, holding my hand and looking fondly at me while everyone around us got up and started leaving. Ginny and Seamus were the last to leave and then we were alone at last. Draco leaned closer to me and rested his forehead against mine, gazing lovingly into my eyes.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you too," I whispered back with a little grin.

"No, you don't understand," Draco protested.

"What's not to understand?" I asked a little confused. "I love you, you love me."

"That's true, of course," he said with a lopsided, sexy smile which made my knees feel weak. "What I meant was that I love you more anything in this world."

I was going to say that I felt the same way, but he silenced me with a finger to my lips. Obviously he wasn't done talking just yet.

"Hermione, I can't imagine myself without you. I wouldn't have a shred of life if I wasn't with you. That's why I want to ask you something. Hermione's I want to marry you."

My heart stopped beating, I stopped breathing and all thoughts left my mind.

Draco saw my reaction and hurriedly said, "I don't want it to be right now. It's doesn't have to be this year or even the next. It doesn't need to be an official engagement. I just need to know that you'll spend the rest of your life with me."

I didn't take me long before I knew what to answer. Somehow I think I'd know since our first kiss.

"Yes, Draco," I whispered as tears welled in my eyes. "Yes, I'll marry you some day and spend the rest of my life with you."

I didn't have time to say anything else or even do anything before Draco's lips had claimed mine firmly. His tongue ran sensually over my lips with the promise of both joy and pleasure if I'd only let him in. I opened my mouth and allowed myself to be flooded with the most amazing sensation I had ever known – the sensation of Draco's love washing over me.

We were married three years later. It was another two years before we were blessed with a beautiful son and a beautiful daughter. Still to this day we're as much in love as we were when we first kissed. And Draco still thanks Seamus regularly.

_**I finally did it! It took me almost a year and half but this story is finally finished. I hope you all enjoyed it even though it took me so long.**_

_**Please review and tell me everything you'd like to say about this story and then hurry along to another one of my stories. That's an order, I tell you!**_

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